Why is it important to choose your clothes carefully?

Our clothes are in direct contact with our skin over 90% of our body surface (especially in winter), every day (it is generally quite rare in life to have the opportunity to live naked). It is therefore very important to be careful about what we put on our skin. Synthetic materials and flame retardants and certain dyes can be harmful.

However, the textile industry doesn't always care about the health of its consumers, even though there have been real improvements. But let's take an example: cotton is a natural and seemingly harmless material. Yet, it is one of the largest consumers of pesticides on the planet. Chlorine, sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, heavy metals, formaldehyde, ammonia, and solvents are all used in textile factories. The impact of these pesticides is significant, both on our health and the environment.

What steps should be taken to limit exposure to endocrine disruptors in tissues?

There are a few easy reflexes to adopt to reduce your exposure to endocrine disruptors present in tissues:

• Always wash new clothes before wearing them. A study conducted by ANSES in 2018 showed that the substances contained in new clothes disappear after the first wash. However, some, such as nonylphenols (and some of their derivatives), are suspected of causing dermatitis and being endocrine disruptors.

• Use organic laundry detergent. This avoids synthetic perfumes, petrochemicals, and other modified products that can be found in industrial detergents.

• Choose organic cotton. More and more textile industry players are offering a specific range (sometimes more expensive than the rest), making it easier to obtain.

• Learn to recognize labels and choose the Oeko-Tex label. It certifies the non-toxicity of textiles and dyes and guarantees the exclusion or limitation of undesirable or prohibited substances that could pose a risk to the consumer.

• Choose Made in France brands to help and support French production and its know-how and limit the ecological impact by promoting short supply chains.

It is sometimes difficult to reconcile all these requirements... We spend time finding eco-responsible brands that respect the body and the environment.

We were also delighted to discover Les Actives Paris , which offers women's sportswear that's both technical and comfortable. The fabrics are made in France (in the Rhône-Alpes region, to be precise) and are assembled in Portugal. Shanti and Flore, the brand's creators, are committed to responsible and sustainable manufacturing. And their designs are beautiful, which, of course, doesn't detract from the charm of this new brand; we fell in love with their Délicate jumpsuit.