CEH Finds 100+ Sock Brands with High Levels of BPA
[UPDATED on Dec. 7, 2022, 8:30 am]
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) sent legal notices to nine additional companies today after extensive testing showed their socks made for babies, children, and adults could expose someone to up to 31 times the safe limit of the chemical BPA, according to California law. In total, CEH has initiated litigation with 95 socks brands, including Adidas, Champion, GAP, Hanes, New Balance, and Reebok.
“Studies have shown that BPA can be absorbed through your skin and end up in the bloodstream after handling receipt paper for seconds or a few minutes at a time,” said Dr. Jimena Díaz Leiva, Science Director at CEH. “Socks are worn for hours at a time, so it is concerning to be finding such high levels of BPA, particularly in those made for babies and children.”
Add Your Name: Tell Fashion CEOs to Take the BPA Out of Socks
Research has shown that early life exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals like BPA can increase the risk of infants developing a range of diseases during childhood and later in adulthood. Exposure to these chemicals during critical periods of development can increase the risk of adverse health outcomes (Braun 2016).
“BPA was originally designed as an estrogen,” said Tyrone Hayes, Professor of Integrative Biology at University of California, Berkeley. “Given the many adverse effects of exogenous estrogenic compounds, BPA should not be in our clothing, food packaging, or anything else that humans (or any animal for that matter) will come in contact with.”
CEH tested socks with different blends of polyester, cotton, and spandex, and found BPA in the socks made predominantly from polyester with spandex. CEH has not found BPA in socks predominantly made from cotton.
Kaya Allan Sugerman, Illegal Toxic Threats Program Director at CEH said: “CEH uses California’s Proposition 65 as a tool to move companies to eliminate toxic chemicals from their products, and Prop 65 lists BPA as a chemical that harms the reproductive system. BPA is not a necessary ingredient in socks and manufacturers must immediately remove it.”
“BPA comes from Big Oil and the petrochemical industry,” said Michael Green, CEO of CEH. “Why are we digging up 500 million year old plants and animals, turning them into toxic chemicals, and adding them in our socks? Surely companies can make clothing like socks without toxic BPA.”
To learn more about BPA in socks, read our FAQ here!
Brands with high levels of BPA:
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A New Day Adidas Adrienne Vittadini Aeropostale Aerosoles All in Motion Angel of Mine ArtMinds Apara Ashley Stewart Asics Bare Hugs BCBGeneration Betsey Johnson Bioworld Bon Domir Brightstar Capelli New York Carhartt Champion Charlotte Christian Siriano Columbia CSG (Champs Sports) Danbar Global Stars & Dreamers Danskin Dickies Dick’s Sporting Goods Disney DKNY Dr. Scholl’s Dolls Kill Elite Collection Ellen Tracy
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ENVY Easy Spirit Everlast FILA Forever 21 Francesca’s Fruit of the Loom Gaiam Gap Gertex G.H. Bass & Co. Halston Hanes Hot Topic Hurley Jo-Ann Stores Jefferies Socks Jessica Simpson Jones New York Juicy Couture K-Swiss Legale Lucky Brand Marvel Member’s Mark MeMoi Merry Brite Mix No. 6 (DSW) New Balance Nickelodeon No Boundaries No Nonsense Nordstrom Okie Dokie PacSun PGA Tour |
Pickle & Dot PINK Polo Ralph Lauren Prince Puma Rampage RBX Reebok Rene Rofe Rising Star Rite Aid Rue 21 Saucony Skechers So Dorable Sole Sayings Spalding Stance Stepping Stones Steve Madden Spirit Halloween Stride Rite Tek Gear Tic Tac Toe Timberland Tommy Hilfiger Torrid Treasure & Bond TY Urban Outfitters West Loop (Walgreens) Wonder Nation Xhilaration ZonePro 5 Style
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