Walmart putting formaldehyde on clothing?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Has anyone heard of that? My friend's cleaning lady told my friend about an experience at Wal-Mart where the cashier could not handle any clothing because she has a formaldehyde allergy. The supervisor had to come over to ring up any clothing items. I tried to check this on Snopes but got nothing so I thought I would ask here.

Beth

[o_mom]

I don't think it is Walmart in particular, but the clothing industry in general:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233417/should_you_wash_new_clothes_they_could.html?cat=5

[brittone2]

Yep, it has been happening for quite a while, and not just Walmart :(

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497713

[SnuggleBuggles]

Thank you for the quick replies! I had been negligent on washing new stuff before wearing but I don't think I will be anymore!

Beth

[MontrealMum]

Yikes! This is very disturbing, so thanks so much for posting it. I am vigilant about washing all of DS' clothes, but not always my own :( What about wool sweaters and other dry clean only? Beth, can you post the journal citation for your article? I should be able to get it through the vpn for my school with the journal name/issue/year, but the link doesn't work for me. Thanks!

Also, thanks for justifying my spending so much here....DH coincidentally walked in while I was reading O_mom's story (and thankfully, not the last thread I read :innocent: ).

[Wife_and_mommy]

Thank you for the quick replies! I had been negligent on washing new stuff before wearing but I don't think I will be anymore!

Beth

Ditto... Yuck!

[brittone2]

Crud. Sorry my link isn't working (you have to register to read that site...I forgot that!)

Here's an excerpt from the Medscape article:
eta: the actual reference is this (sorry, copying and pasting so forgive my formatting)
Dermatitis
Contact, Atopic, Occupational, Drug
Diagnosis and Treatment of Dermatitis Due to Formaldehyde Resins in Clothing
Posted 02/11/2005
Ryan M. Carlson; Mary C. Smith; Susan T. Nedorost
Dermatitis. 2004;15(4):169-175. ©2004 American Contact Dermatitis Society

Formaldehyde is found in many settings and frequently in materials in which it is not suspected.[2] Formaldehyde resins are the substances used in today's textile industry to make clothing that is wrinkle resistant (eg, permanent-press clothing). These resins can release significant amounts of formaldehyde.[3] Rayon, blended cotton, corduroy, wrinkle-resistant 100% cotton, and any synthetic blended polymer are likely to have been treated with such resins.[4] Textile formaldehyde resins have been used on fabrics since the mid-1920s.[5] Formaldehyde resins used in durable-press fabrics can be classified into high, medium, and low formaldehyde releasers.[5-7] The textile resins now in use in the United States are listed in Table 1 . Since 1961, dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU), which is often blended with glycols, has been the most widely used permanent-press finish.[8] However, several investigators feel that the use of this resin and older high formaldehyde releasers is decreasing.[5]

Many preservatives used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial biocides can also release formaldehyde.[6,7]


In any case, here's a list of the references cited by this particular article

Diagnosis and Treatment of Dermatitis Due to Formaldehyde Resins in Clothing
[Dermatitis. 2004;15(4):169-175. ©2004 American Contact Dermatitis Society]
Hatch KL, Maibach HI. Textile chemical finish dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 1986;14:1-13.
Imbus HR. Clinical evaluation of patients with complaints related to formaldehyde exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1985;76:831-40.
Belsito DV. Textile dermatitis. Am J Contact Dermat 1998;4:249.
Bracamonte GB, Ortiz de Frutos FJ, Iglesias DL. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis due to formaldehyde and textile finish resins. Contact Dermatitis 1995;33:139-40.
Hatch KL, Maibach HI. Textile dermatitis: an update. (I). Resins, additives and fibers. Contact Dermatitis 1995;32:319-26.
Fowler JF, Skinner SM, Belsito DV. Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde resins in permanent press clothing: an underdiagnosed cause of generalized dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1992;27:962-8.
Cockayne SE, McDonagh AJ, Gawkrodger DJ. Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde resin in clothing. Contact Dermatitis 2001;44:109-10.
Cooke TF, Weigmann L. The chemistry of formaldehyde release from durable-press fabrics. Text Chem Colorist 1982;14:25.
Scheman AJ, Carroll PA, Brown KH, Osburn AH. Formaldehyde-related textile allergy: an update. Contact Dermatitis 1998;38:332-6.
Metzler-Brenckle L, Rietschel RL. Patch testing for permanentpress allergic contact dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis 2002;46:33-7.
Sherertz EF. Clothing dermatitis: practical aspects for the clinician. Am J Contact Dermat 1992;3:55-64.
Marks JG Jr, Belsito DV, DeLeo VA, et al. North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch-test results, 1998-2000. Am J Contact Dermat 2003;14:59-62.
Marks JG Jr, Belsito DV, DeLeo VA, et al. North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch-test results, 1996-1998. Arch Dermatol 2000;136:272-3.
Marks JG Jr, Belsito DV, DeLeo VA, et al. North American Contact Dermatitis Group patch test results for the detection of delayed-type hypersensitivity to topical allergens. J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;38:911-8.
Cronin E. Contact dermatitis. London: Churchill Livingstone; 1980. p. 55-68.
Wereide K. Formaldehyde as a contact allergen in textiles. Formaldehyde clothing dermatitis, a ten year period in-patient series (1953-1962). Acta Allergol 1964;19:351-63.
Yiannias JA, editor. Contact allergen replacement database. Available at: http://www.contactderm.org (accessed October 14, 2004).
Coromo, Inc.Web fashion forum. Available at: http://www.coromo.com (accessed April 24, 2004).
Scheman AJ. Proceedings of the Occupational and Contact Dermatitis Symposium, American Academy of Dermatology; 2004 Feb; Washington (DC).

[MontrealMum]

Thanks so much Beth :) I will track some of those down to learn more, but I think I have been duly warned. Again, yikes!

[DrSally]

I figured it was prob in many clothing items, not just walmart. Although, Reading Brittone2's post has made me very suspicious of DH's non-iron Brook's Brothers shirts! He has severe eczema on his arms, I wonder if this contributes or at least exacerbates it?

[elaineandmichaelsmommy]

I'll confirm it as well. DD's dermatologist told us to make sure that all her new clothes are washed a couple of times before she wears them due to the formaldahyde. Apparently the color blue is an especially bad culprit. Sorry, but no it's not just wal-mart.