Question from Pure Cotton

Both Hanes’ & Land’s End’s are sewn with very scratchy synthetic thread (polyester or nylon) and I am severely allergic to synthetic fabrics/threads. The seams on the sleeves, neck & shoulders for these were so scratchy I had to take them off immediately & still ended up with redness. These were my latest disappointing purchases. I’ll probably be able to tolerate cotton-covered synthetic thread (at least until the cotton wears down). I’m aware there is no labeling for the thread so please only suggest a retailer and long sleeve T shirt type if you do know for a fact, meaning if you currently own some. No “guessing” suggestions please, I’ve done this already as you can see. Also, please only suggest ONLINE retailers as I’m unable to go anywhere. Thank you everyone.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Donna Benton

Anyone know anything about Cuisinart Non-Stick Anodized cookware. The brochure says the top layer is titanium, middle layer is aluminum.

Donna

Debra’s Answer

I’m not sure where you were looking at the brochure…the description on amazon.com says ” quantanium nonstick finish internally reinforced with titanium”

The manufacturer’s website for QuanTanium says that the finish is silicone reinforced with titanium.

I haven’t physically seen or used this cookware, but it’s looks OK to me on paper.

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Question from Heather H.

Hi Debra, Love your website, thank you so much for it! I have learned so much on here.

I want to find safe dinnerware. I love the look of glazed dishware, but I don’t feel comfortable enough just swab testing it. Could it produce a less safe rating after alot of use?

After reading on your website I think it should be glass. Does it need to be recycled glass?

Or, is all glass the same, with no lead content to worry about? Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know if glazed dinnerware would produce more or less lead after use. Interesting question.

There are different types of glass. I think I should make a glass summary sheet, but don’t have time to do it right now for this answer. Different things are added to glass for performance qualities, like withstanding temperature.

Recycled glass has nothing to do with toxicity, however, it does save resources and uses less energy in manufacture, and using less energy always reduces toxic air pollution.

With regard to lead content, the only glass that contains lead is lead crystal, which is clearly labeled as such. Lead is added to lead crystal glass to make it sparkle, particularly pieces of “cut crystal” which has facets.

Ordinary glass dinnerware does not contain lead.

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Question from guspvt

Hi Debra!

Winter is coming and I’d like to buy a pair of gloves that I can use with iPhone / iPad touch screens without having to remove them first. With regular ones, the screens don’t work as we touch them because the materials of the gloves block the natural bioelectricity in the skin, stopping the capactive screen from responding.

So, I’ve found one pair of gloves, which seems to get the best reviews from buyers, called AGloves. This company makes two models that I’m interested in:

One made of: 60% Polyester, 29% Nylon, 7% Silver Nylon, 3% Spandex, 1% Acrylic

The other one made of: 68% Acrylic, 15% silver yarn, 12% spandex, 5% rubber thread

I’m very concerned about this silver coating fiber, as I don’t know if there are nano particles and if they might be absorbed in the skin from prolonged use. What are you thoughts? I really don’t want something of high toxicity in contact with my hands for over 12 hours per day (I really wish good cotton/flannel gloves didn’t have this issue). Which one of the two do you think is better overall?

Debra’s Answer

Metallic fibers are made of

Solid gold and silver filaments have been used since ancient times as yarns for fabric decoration. Today most metallic yarns have some component of plastic and are made from less valuable metals, such as aluminum.

Metallic yarns are often coated with transparent films, often made from polyester, to minimize tarnishing.

Since the ingredients list says “silver yarn” and the silver is probably added for function, not decoration, I think it’s likely that it is a solid silver filament. If it doesn’t tarnish, it likely has a polyester film coating, so your skin would be touching polyester rather than silver.

I’m not concerned about silver nanoparticles here. I don’t like the idea of all these synthetic fibers, though. Not super toxic in relation to other exposures, but not the best option either.

I saw a friend of mine using a special pencil to tap her iPhone. Could you use that and wear cotton gloves?

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Question from Gigi

I have had my eye on a FoodSaver Vaccum Sealer for quite a while, but I have questions as to what the safety of the bags are. Do you have any information about bag toxicity? The Foodsaver website says that the FoodSaver bags are BPA free.

Debra’s Answer

On the manufacturer’s website it says:

Polyethylene is the safest plastic I know of for food contact.

To use a FoodSaver is like putting food in a plastic sandwich bag.

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Question from RuthAnn

I recently purchased tin cookie cutters made by a local artisan made in the metjod of the 1800’s using hand tools to give as gifts to nieces and nephews seven years and younger with the thought they could use them when helping their mothers to cut out cookie dough. Later I called him to find out about lead content. He uses solder that contains 50% lead. When I mentioned lead free solder he said that contained antimony which is worse. Should I be concerned about a health risk to these children? The cutters are soldered on the inside at one small spot so their hands would likely not even be touching that spot. But I don’t want to give them as gifts if there is any possible risk. Please comment. Thank you

Debra’s Answer

Well, without seeing them I can’t say for sure, but even if they don’t touch the solder, if the dough touches the solder, the lead could get into the cookie dough.

I would say this is a VERY small exposure, if any, given the amount of time a hand might touch that spot and the short contact time the cutter would have with the dough. There are a lot more things that are a lot more toxic that I would focus on avoiding.

Plastic cookie cutters would have no problem with any harmful metals in the solder. As much as I don’t like plastic, the plastics used to make cookie cutters are not toxic, and may be the better choice in this case.

I know cutout cookies are fun and part of our culture, but they also are not a item essential to life. It’s possible to make great cookies without cutters at all.

In the overall scheme of things, this particular exposure is so small as to be insignificant, except for the fact that there is NO safe level of exposure to lead.

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Question from dvrosie

Hi, I want to get all new cookware, and want HEALTHY no chemicals but also not too heavy, for instance cast iron or Creuset is too heavy for me. I looked at Mercola’s Healthy Chef but that might be too heavy too and I can’t try it out in a store. The research says that Anolon is a good product and that the coating is non toxic but then I saw another entry I think you said you stay away from all coatings! I will destroy the bottom of aluminum pans or stainless steel i just know it. What can you please recommend I want to buy this SOON.

Thank you! Rosie

Debra’s Answer

Dr. Mercola’s Healthy Chef is the same as Xtrema Cookware that I’ve written about many times on this blog. I use it myself every day. They now have a wonderful big wok skillet too and tea potles that you can boil water in. I love this cookware and don’t find it too heavy. It’s not like cast iron.

There is an advantage to heavy cookware in that it holds the heat more evenly and stays put better on the stove. I think Xtrema is “just right.”

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Question from jiwaskow

My daughter’s preschool agreed to use nontoxic cleaners, hand soap, hand sanitizer, art supplies. Now I need to find affordable, SCENT-FREE, nontoxic products in bulk. Anyone already take this on and have suggestions? If this works, I plan to take to other schools. I know there are companies marketing to schools as nontoxic, but they are not always scent-free or affordable so I’m seeking suggestions. Also – the school says they must use bleach b/c of Health Dept. Is this true (we’re in CO and I have three messages into our health dept, no answer still). Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Here’s a report: Breathing Easier School Districts Make the Switch to Certified Green Cleaning Products

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We’re all well aware of plastic pollution from plastic bags and bottles and other big items. But did you know that microscopic bits of plastic are also polluting the world’s oceans and ending up in the fish we eat?

According to a study published this month in the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology, bits of polyester and acrylic smaller than the head of a pin are likely rinsing off garments during the wash cycle of washing machines and ending up on shorelines. Researchers say this debris contains potentially harmful ingredients that fish can ingest and then transfer to people who eat them.

More than 1,900 fibers can rinse off a single garment.

USA Today: Washing machines cause microplastic pollution

The solution, of course, is to wear and wash organic cotton, linen, silk, wool and hemp. These fibers are biodegradable and break down in the environment, rather than accumulating in living organisms. See Debra’s List: Textiles.

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Question from Susan-az

I have a large piece of exercise equipment which stands on a porcelain tile floor. I need to find a non-toxic floor mat to go underneath it in order to keep it from sliding. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Debra’s Answer

Readers, any suggestions?

Would a small cotton area rug work?

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