Protective Base Layer – Safe Skin

Abstract

This past year a jury in California ruled that Twin Hill, a uniform manufacturer, should pay over 1 million dollars to four American airline flight attendants. The lawsuit only served 4 out of the 400 flight attendants who were experiencing skin reactions, hair loss, breathing problems, thyroid dysfunctions, headaches, and fatigue due to their uniforms. The uniforms connected to these cases were made from synthetic material and contained layers of chemical finishes. The same finishes applied to these uniforms (e.g. anti-fungal, anti-wrinkle, flame retardants)are typically found in professional wear, like police and firefighter uniforms and even medical scrubs. When one flight attendant uniform was studied it alone had over 42 different chemicals in it, including excessive lead and arsenic. In the US, there are little to no government regulations for chemical content in clothing.