What’s Really in Your Clothes? The Unseen Chemicals Touching Your Skin

Nature should recharge you, not expose you. Our garments are thoughtfully made to support your well-being, wherever life takes you.

The Hidden Toxins Touching Your Skin

Most of us choose our clothes for comfort, coverage, or self-expression. But there’s something we rarely consider: what’s actually in the fabrics we wear, and how that might affect our long-term wellness.

Clothing isn’t just what we wear, it’s what we live in. Many garments today are made with or treated using chemicals that may carry risks we don’t see on the label. From fast fashion staples to high-performance fabrics, everyday pieces often come with a hidden layer of synthetic additives or chemical residues.

What Could Be Lurking in Your Closet?

Let’s start with dyes. Many common dyes, especially in fast fashion, are made using chemicals that can contain trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, or chromium. When exposed to heat, moisture, or friction, these substances can interact with skin, raising potential concerns over time, particularly with frequent wear.

Next are “performance” fabrics, items marketed as wrinkle-free, waterproof, stain-resistant, or quick-drying. These benefits often come from chemical treatments, including PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a class of compounds known for their durability and resistance. PFAS have come under increasing scrutiny for their persistence in both the environment and the human body. Clothing treated with these substances can allow for more direct contact during daily wear, especially when the skin is warm or damp.

Even basic “easy care” finishes may pose a concern. Wrinkle-resistant shirts and pants are often treated with formaldehyde-based resins. Formaldehyde is a known skin and respiratory irritant, and research has shown it can off-gas from fabrics over time. The risk of contact increases with factors like heat, sweating, and repeated wear, especially in garments worn close to the body.

Our Approach: Thoughtful, Protective, and Clean

At Merci Dupre, we take extra care to minimize exposure to chemical residues commonly found in conventional fabrics. Our proprietary process prepares each garment thoughtfully to reduce these substances and help provide a cleaner layer against the world.

Our 96-hour process, created by scien

tist Dr. Christina Rahm, is designed to help shield you from environmental stressors like heavy metals, bacteria, UV rays, and more, supporting your well-being without compromising style or comfort.

Clothing With Purpose

Choosing what you wear today is more than just a fashion decision, it’s a wellness decision. Cleaner, better-made garments are one way to take control of what you allow into your life and onto your body.

At Merci Dupre, we don’t just make clothes. We make conscious choices, and garments designed with your well-being in mind.