The Era of 'Ingredient Labels' for Clothing: 'Wove' Checks for PFAS and Microplastics

Explanation

A service has emerged that lets people check 'what's inside' clothing, much like food ingredient labels. 'Wove' is a system that checks clothing for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) content and the risk of microplastic release, an effort to let consumers choose clothes from a chemical-safety perspective.

PFAS are known as 'forever chemicals' because the carbon-fluorine (C-F) bond is extremely strong and barely breaks down in nature. Because of their excellent water- and oil-repellent properties, they have long been used in the water-repellent coatings of waterproof jackets and rainwear, but concerns about their accumulation in the environment and human body have led to tightening regulations worldwide.

It is also known that synthetic fibers such as fleece release tiny fiber fragments—microplastics—every time they are washed, which slip through sewage treatment and flow into the ocean. This is an era in which 'choosing what to wear' is directly linked to environmental issues. Transparency in ingredient labeling is spreading from food to cosmetics and now to clothing.