When speaking about fabric coatings or finishes, we’re typically speaking about the application of chemicals to fabric for a specific purpose. I join Dr. Emiel DenHartog of the North Carolina State University College of Textiles, in struggling with the word “chemicals.” Do I really want to be wearing or sitting on something that has chemicals all over it? Dr. DenHartog, who has done significant research in the area of fabric finishes, has this response: “Textiles consist of fibers made into yarns, and they consist of polymers, which by definition are chemicals. People sometimes get scared when the word ‘chemical’ is used, but any fibrous material, any material around you, actually, consists of chemicals. From that perspective, use of chemicals is not necessarily bad.”

Chemicals can be created in a lab or occur naturally. With today’s emphasis on natural everything, we might think it would be better to use natural chemicals on fabrics, but Dr. DenHartog points out that naturally occurring chemicals are not always that compatible with humans—think about poison oak or the toxin a mosquito bite contains.

That being said, there have been situations where chemistry used in clothing has proven to be toxic. I remember as a child that children’s pajamas were touted as being flame resistant. The clothing was commonly treated with tris, a chemical compound containing both phosphorus and a halogen, which was later determined to be cancer-causing, and its use has largely been discontinued. While it is likely that some of the other chemicals discussed here might ultimately turn out to have negative health impact on humans, recent research has delivered safer, more effective substances that add to the protective benefits, performance or comfort of fabrics.