There was a time when investing hundreds of dollars in clothing guaranteed you the finest quality items. Garments were crafted from premium, natural fabrics such as wool, silk, cashmere, and 100% cotton. Today, however, a high price tag often means you’re getting a stylish piece made with harmful and toxic materials.
While materials like acrylic, polyester, nylon, rayon, and Teflon have long been staples in mass-produced, low-end clothing, their increasing presence in more upscale items is starting to raise eyebrows.
Samantha Dawn (@bysamanthadawn), a personal stylist and coach, explained the importance of checking the tags on clothes before investing in high-priced items in a TikTok video. “Always look at your materials, because $500 for a polyester blend and your lining is 100% polyester—you might as well buy something from Zara,” she said while holding a Cinq à Sept jacket.
Once primarily associated with budget-friendly fashion, synthetic fabrics are often criticized for their negative environmental and health impacts. But now, they’ve made their way into medium and high-end fashion lines, and consumers are paying the price.
According to Changing Markets, synthetic fibers account for 69% of textile production. The versatility and affordability of these materials have allowed fashion brands to saturate the market with low-quality items. Reports predict that by 2030, synthetic materials in clothing will increase by 73%.
In the past, consumers turned to high-end items for the longevity and durability of the garments. Now, it’s clear that brands across all price points have compromised on quality. Companies continue to prioritize cost-cutting and profit margins over sustainability and consumer well-being. Even luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss reportedly saw a 143% increase in the use of polyester from 2020 to 2023.
In addition to the effects synthetic fabrics have on the quality of our clothes, they also negatively impact our health due to the release of microplastics.
Microplastics, which are found in food, cosmetics, and fabrics, are tiny particles that shed harmful materials as they degrade. Every time synthetic textiles are washed, microplastics are released and absorbed into our skin. Studies have shown that microplastics can cause oxidative damage and DNA damage, potentially leading to cancer development.
TikTok user Moyo (@_theconnoisseur) shared her concerns about the potential long-term consequences of low-quality clothing on people’s health in the future.
“If you are a woman of color, you need to stay away from polyester and synthetic materials,” she says. “I feel like this is something that, 10, 20, 30 years from now, is going to be studied more deeply, and people are really going to start to pay attention to how these synthetic materials—the chemicals that they release, the microplastics—impact our hormone, mental, and gut health.”
One user commented on Moyo’s video saying, “I’m about to start making my own clothes because everything is polyester.” Another person responded, sharing, “I’m on my journey of removing polyester and non-natural fabrics from my wardrobe. I was shocked to see how many things are made with this material.”
Thankfully, there are a few brands—both low and high-end—that produce clothing without toxic materials. Companies like Pact, Quince, Mate The Label, Rose Boreal, and even the Gap offer cotton basics and activewear at affordable price points. Premium non-toxic clothing brands like Wooly, Kotn, and Sailaal focus on craftsmanship and style while using high-quality, natural materials.
Both low and high-end non-toxic clothing brands are committed to using organic and sustainable materials, avoiding harmful dyes and finishes, and prioritizing transparency in their manufacturing processes. These brands often use high-quality natural materials like organic cotton, linen, and wool, ensuring that customers get both style and safety.
Moyo also emphasizes that finding non-toxic clothing is easier than many people think. “It doesn’t have to be a complicated process,” she says.
In a TikTok video, Moyo posed in a $130 cashmere two-piece set from Marshalls, an off-price department store. She explained that good-quality items can be found anywhere, adding, “The main thing you need to be is discerning. Whether you’re thrifting, shopping high-end, mid-street, or contemporary – read your garment tags.”
