What’s In A Non-Iron Dress Shirt?
We are not big fans of the non-iron dress shirt, and the following excerpt from journalist Daniel Akst’s piece on non iron dress shirts proves our point.
“They get that way as the result of a formaldehyde resin bath, which makes the cellulose strands bond to one another at the molecular level while choking the life out of the fabric. Think of it as a kind of chemical castration—of the cotton fibers, if not the wearer…A really nice one I got at my favorite store, Nordstrom, smells like the New Jersey Turnpike around Exit 13, even after three washings.”
Really. Dress shirts are dipped in formaldehyde to remain wrinkle free? Just the thought of this isn’t very comforting, let alone the discomfort of chemical exposure on skin. It is still uncertain if there are side effects that could emerge, but common sense, to each his own, is enough to wary us. As for proven issues, dress shirts made wrinkle free prevent the fabric from breathing naturally, stifling the wearer. Cotton fibers are to be soft, and not stiff to the touch.
Imagine, a man buys a new formaldehyde dipped dress shirt to wear. He’s dancing that night and soon profusely sweating. He unbuttons his top and loosens his tie just to let out the steam. All the while, we wonder, what chemical air is he really inhaling? What chemicals have soaked into his skin, his chest? Just food for thought. Don’t let your garment choke the life out of ya!
Why do people buy non-iron dress shirts?
While the economy has sputtered, these shirts have become immensely popular. They don’t require a trip to the laundry and are generally affordable with poorly designed materials. Cheap and sustainable has become a rallying point in men’s fashion. At the expense of chemically induced dress shirts, more consideration should be given to the subject.
At DeoV, we hold with those who favor the natural fibers, as men of the olden age have favored. Style your own, make it fit and stay fresh. We guarantee quality for the body and the soul.
Return to our homepage to learn more about custom dress shirts.
