Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said that his office will investigate whether materials used by clothing brands Hanes and Fruit of the Loom to produce children’s undergarments contain toxic chemicals.
In an Oct. 6 statement, Paxton said that clothing retailers have increasingly turned to lower-cost synthetic materials such as polyester, rayon, and spandex to keep their prices competitive and meet consumer demand.
He pointed to research showing that synthetic fabrics can shed microplastics and that certain chemicals used in textile production—such as bisphenols, phthalates, parabens, fluorine, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—have been associated with infertility, cancer, and other health risks. …