Killer Clothes

by Brian Clement, Anne Marie Clement

How Seemingly Innocent Clothing Choices Endanger Your Health...and how to protect yourself!
This book reveals in unprecedented detail the toxic truth about the clothes we wear and the surprising number of harmful effects on our health caused by garments once considered safe. Readers will learn what fabrics and chemicals to watch for when selecting clothing, why to avoid any garment that has anti-odor, antistatic, antimicrobial, etc., along with tips for ecological and health-friendly cleaning, and the advantages for choosing natural fabrics. They'll also learn the many ways that synthetic clothing, chemicals added to garments, and tight clothing and tight shoes create dangerous problems for human health and the environment. Dr. Anna Maria Clement and her husband, Dr. Brian Clement, document numerous medical studies that show the rise in health problems that has paralleled the increased use of synthetic clothing fibers. Readers will learn which fabrics and clothes contribute to breast cancer, infertility, and a range of diseases, and which garments are safe to wear. Based on medical science, these studies have been brought together for the first time in one place; important findings which have, for too long, been hidden from public awareness.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Fashion

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

Reviews

[Emily Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

About time I finished another book.

This one is good! Took a bit for me to get through because a lot of the content is research if happened across online in my own searches. This book is an excellent compilation of the hard facts and research on the damage synthetics can do to your body. It’s also got a really wonderful compilation of resources that you can use to find and wash natural fiber clothes for your kids and yourself. My advice is don’t read this if you have anxiety related to all the things that are bad for your health, start small elsewhere so it’s not overwhelming or aggravating. If you’re actively wanting to change your clothing choices and you were already thinking in the “everything needs to be toxin free and clean in my life” direction, this will give you the motivation to do it.

A pithy summary: if it’s not natural, it’s not good for you. Nuff said.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't get past the first chapter because it already contains a lot of misinformation. They say you shouldn't wear tight clothing because it restricts your skin from, "detoxing your body," and that it gets rid of a pound of waste a day. Your skin doesn't do that. The whole purpose of your skin is to keep toxins from getting into your body. It's a one way channel. That's why putting harmful things on it is bad; it can't get back out the same way it came in. Your body has to process it or store it in the liver. There are no sources for that false information because it's not how the human body works. The sources they do have aren't all reputable. One of them is an opinion article from 2009.

[Leora Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started sewing precisely because all the fabric in store bought clothing was not comfortable. Killer Clothes explains the reasons for my discomfort. My favorite fabric for sewing is organic cotton. Now I understand why I prefer those organic cottons to the 100% cotton of the big online brands. If the authors come out with a new edition, my request is stories about those who converted to wearing natural fibres and how the conversion improved their health. It would also be great to have the opportunity to connect with other natural fibre sewists.

[Morgan Kloesel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and eye opening. A very short book as 48% of it is references, resources, websites, etc.

[Michele Feng · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I find thought provoking is that 1) With the increased production of synthetic fibres for usage across the world, where can health-conscious citizens find natural fibers. It seems it's nearly obsolete from world markets. Why? 2) Using natural fibres as opposed to synthetics means being a devoted vegan. What stirs up irony is that vegans wear instead of synthetics and much of the maladies coming from wearing synthetic fibres were scientifically documented as a way to illustrate and further prove the misdemeanors of using synthetics other than natural fibres on our bodies. How does a devout vegan wear a wool suit sound? What would PETA say? 3) There's always government regulations set on inclusion of certain chemicals (specifically the petrochemicals industry) for economic profit. How does each side of the table (government V.S. corporations) abide by rulings and settle matters in a civil manner without total chaos?

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short but educational read. I really enjoyed it. I’ve known for a while the dangers of synthetic clothing. I have wanted to change my wardrobe over to more natural fiber clothing. This was just the nudge I needed.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading but simplifies and very amero-centric.