The clothes you’re wearing right now may be destroying your Testosterone 📉
Yes thats right.
Here’s how to find out if your clothing is turning you into a soy boy by destroying your testosterone…
…And what type of clothing you should wear instead.
The truth about synthetic fibre clothing and your hormones
Let me simplify this for you:
Clothing made from synthetic material contains certain chemicals.
As you wash and wear these clothes these chemicals break down and are released into your skin.
Your skin absorbs these chemicals. They enter your bloodstream. And in many cases they bioaccumulate (which just means “build up”) in the fat stores of your body.
You don’t want this…
Because these chemical and known as “endocrine disruptors” which means they do weird things to your hormones.
Don’t believe me? click here to see the research
Confused? here’s the non-biology answer:
Your toxic load goes up and your Testosterone goes down.
Every time you wear synthetic clothing you’re putting your testosterone at risk.
And the worst part?
Synthetic clothing is EVERYWHERE.
In fact you’re probably wearing synthetic clothing right now.
Stop reading right now and check your clothing tags.
If it’s made from one of the following materials its time for a new wardrobe…
⚠️ Avoid clothing made from these 5 synthetic fibres…
1. Polyester
The most commonly used synthetic fiber used in almost all forms of clothing due to its price, durability and quick-drying abilities.
Polyester is made from petroleum and can release compounds like phthalates (especially when heated during washing/drying and exercising).
Beware of Polyester blends; where its mixed with natural fibres like wool.
2. Nylon
Nylon is another petroleum-based fiber and its often treated with more chemical coatings to improve its durability. These chemical coatings often include endocrine-disrupting compounds too (double whammy)
You’ll find nylon mostly in activewear, swimwear, and outdoor gear because of its strong, lightweight, and quick-drying ability.
3. Acrylic
Acrylic is a the synthtic version of wool: cheaper, lighter and made in a factory at will.
You’ll find acrylic mostly in sweaters, fleece wear, and winter accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves.
Acrylic can contain acrylonitrile (a suspected carcinogen) and other harmful compounds that will wreack havock on your hormones.
4. Rayon (Viscose)
Rayon (Viscose) is used in dresses, blouses, and jackets because of its silky appearance and feel. It’s also popular in sportswear and casual wear for its breathability and soft texture.
Even though this material is derived from natural cellulose it undergoes extensive chemical processing which involves harmful solvents such as carbon Disulfide (toxic to humans and the environment)
5. Spandex (Lycra or Elastane)
Spandex is used in clothing that requires stretch such as leggings, bras, underwear, rash guards, socks, and most athletic gear. It’s also often blended with other fabrics like jeans to give some stretch..
Unfortunately Spandex is heavily treated with chemicals to help achieve its “stretchy-ness” and blended with other synthetic fibres which just compounds the chemical load.
Not convinced? Here’s the research…
Research on the link between chemicals used in synethci clothing manufacture and health is growing.
I don’t want to overwhelm you so I’ll just drop a few links below
Studies:
- Microplastics: A Threat for Male Fertility (Environmental and reproductive health journal)
- Microplastics found in dog and human testes (toxicology sciences)
- Chemicals from textiles to skin: an in vitro permeation study of benzothiazole (springer)
- Contraceptive efficacy of polyester-induced azoospermia in normal men (pubmed)
Interesting quotes:
“Endocrine disruptors can be found in various parts of clothing production…Bisphenol-A (BPA) are incorporated into synthetic textiles to improve their performance, as well as give them moisture-wicking and anti-static properties, and help fix dyes to the fabric…A 2018 study found that prolonged exposure to a chemical commonly used in clothing dyes called benzothiazole (BT) resulted in the uptake of BT into the body. Other studies have echoed these findings, raising a growing concern for the ability of chemicals to run off of fabrics into the body upon contact with the skin”
Common Endocrine Disruptors Found in Fashion – Lydia Dupree
“Some chemicals found in clothing, such as BPA, PFAS, and phthalates, have been found in time-bound experiments and longitudinal studies to mimic hormones and interfere with our endocrine system, causing a little-understood cascade of health effects ranging from extreme weight fluctuations and fatigue to infertility and chronic disease.”
Are your clothes making you sick? – The Guardian
“Research has a hard time keeping pace with the rapid and constant creation of new chemicals. There are more than 16,000 chemicals used in plastics manufacturing, and over 1,000 industrial chemicals used today are suspected EDCs. But aside from a small percentage of substances that are regulated, plastic producers aren’t required to disclose the chemical ingredients they use”
What Does Plastic Do to the Endocrine System? – Scientific American
✅ Choose threads made from natural fibres like…
- Cotton
- Hemp
- Bamboo
- Wool
- Linen
- Silk
- Cashmere
Ideally you want 100% organic fibres.
For example your tag should say “100% organic cotton” like this:
Best natural fibre clothing brands for men
I put together a list of brands that offer natural fibre clothing for men
This was NOT easy to do because it seems the only brands doing non-toxic clothing cater to women only.
Here’s what I have so far:
1. Need Essentials
A grass-roots Australian surf brand that begun offering surf gear but now offers natural fibre clothing; 100% organic shirts, pants, hats, jumpers etc…
... at very affordable prices.
So why are they so cheap?
Because they don’t spend money on branding, excessive advertising, packaging or retail markup and pass the savings directly onto you, the consumer.
A grassroots direct to consumer surf brand selling quality gear without the BS.
Shipping: Need Essentials ship globally and offer free (or discounted) shipping if you order over a certain amount. See their shipping details here.
2. AS Colour
Founded in New Zealand in 2015, AS Colour is all about creating high-quality streetwear with transparency about how they operate
They don’t have a huge organic natural fibre range, but there’s a few items there depending on your location; shirts, singlets and a jumper or two.
Available in Australia, North America, the UK, and New Zealand.
Others…
- https://solgym.org/ – NOT ORGANIC
- https://rawganique.com/ – kind of expensive but looks decent quality
- https://www.patagonia.com.au/collections/mens-organic-cotton – expensive
- https://thrills.co/collections/mens-organic-cotton-collection (have north America website) – Not much available but expensive
FAQS and TRAPS
- What about blends?
- Can’t I just wash my synethic clothes to make it safe?
- Why would they sell this to us if its toxic?
- Is organic important here?
Watch out for these traps (eg blends)
More resources…
If you haven’t found anything from the brands above here’s an ever-growing list of resources to help you save time when looking for organic natural fibre threads:
- https://futurekingandqueen.com/mens-ethical-vegan-clothing-brands
- https://ecocult.com/19-best-sustainable-clothing-stores-men/
- https://indiegetup.com/organic-mens-clothing-ultimate-guide/