Textile Insight

F rom mid-2022 to mid-2023, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), a California-based, nonprofit consumer watchdog, found levels of toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) up to 40 times the legal California limit in a number of major active wear brands. The findings and subsequent warnings to these popular brands were widely reported by the media. California's Proposition 65 classifies BPA as a reproductive and developmental toxin. "Sports bras and athletic shirts are worn for hours at a time, and you are meant to sweat in them, so it is concerning to be finding such high levels of BPA in our clothing," said Kaya Allan Sugerman, illegal toxic threats program director at CEH. The warnings to athletic brands followed the watchdog's discovery of levels of BPA in polyester/spandex socks from 75 brands, including infants' and children's wear. The levels of BPA were up to 31 times the levels identified as safe by California's Prop 65. Over the past year, the CEH has asked more than 90 companies to reformulate their products to remove all bisphenols, including BPA. BPA classified as a "substance of concern" Bisphenols are a class of chemicals used in making polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. In particular, bisphenols are used to harden food containers and beverage bottles, and to line cans. Bisphenol A is the most well-known. In the US, BPA has been studied as a hormone disrupter by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others. It is identified as an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC) because it interferes and prevent the binding of natural hormones to their receptors, and can act as a hormone mimic. Bisphenol A has been classified by the European Commission as toxic to reproduction, and a "substance of very high concern" under European chemicals legislation due to its properties as an endocrine disruptor for human health. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Unacceptable levels of BPA have been found in active wear of polyester and spandex. Saya's Latest Technology Offers a Safe Solution With BPA-Clear Why Bisphenol A (BPA) May Be In Your Recycled Textile More about SAYA: • SAYA was launched by the fibers division of Nan Ya Plastics Corporation in 2020, and is dedicated to the research and development of renewable plastics and fibers, including and beyond PET bottles. • SAYA Rscuw – textile to textile recycling using garment cutting scraps and off-grade materials into new fibers. • SAYA Garma Project is a pilot focused on sorting, deconstructing, and recycling worn or off-grade garments into new fiber. • SAYA BPA-Clear minimizes toxic Bisphenols in recycled PET fibers, conforming to international standards of less than 1 ppm. • Did you know, SAYA also means fibers and yarns in Taiwanese? Learn More: change@sayarenew.com https://sayarenew.com/ linkedin.com/company/sayarenew 44 • Textile Insight ~ Fall 2023

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