Question from Lisa
Does anyone know if the screen print used on tagless clothing is safe? Many clothes being sold now have screen printing on the inside collar instead of a traditional garment tag for the name brand, washing instructions, and fiber content.
I have noticed that the screen print fades away or breaks down over time, leaving me wondering if it is safe.
Does anyone know?
Debra’s Answer
I don’t know exactly what kind of ink is used, but I have never noticed any odor or had any skin reaction. Readers?
I was actually getting ready to submit a question about this too. I have also noticed the “tags” wearing off over time. I am having a hard time finding shirts that are not tagless though—it seems like a lot of 100% cotton tees are tagless now. I am assuming some type of vinyl is used, so I am wondering are these tagless shirts safe to dry or would the heat of the dryer cause the vinyl to leach? (I wash in cold water so I wasn’t as concerned about leaching in the washing machine)
Well, I found some interesting information about apparel tags at Inkcups Now.
Apparently there are two methods of printing taglass tags. In the past the technology used was “heat transfer,” which “reportedly have caused allergic reactions in a number of babies and adults.” They note that heat transfer labels are currently being reformulated to become phthlalte- and PVC-free. Also heat transfer labels begin to break after 5-10 commercial washings. So they are removable (I’ve noticed some of the tagless tags on my cotton tank tops have disappeared.
This website sells a new method called “inkcups” which uses “inks for tag printing” that are “skin non-irritant, free of heavy metal and restricted phthalates, CPSIA’08 and Prop 65 compliant, stretchable and passing 50 industrial wash tests” (and they show the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 logo).
So the situation is improving.
You can tell which is which by feel. Heat transfer sits on top of the fabric and inkcup is printed in to the fabric. So feel the label and choose garments with the less toxic printing.
To answer your question, yes the heat of the dryer would cause a heat transfer label to leach. It would leach a very tiny amount.
It’s been exactly 7 years since someone asked whether the tags in tagless clothing is toxic. Have you run across in new information about it?
No new info here. Readers?