If certain clothes make you itch or leave you with a rash on your skin, you may have an allergy or sensitivity to certain textiles. This is called textile dermatitis. 

It can happen with both natural fabrics like wool and cotton as well as synthetic materials like polyester and nylon. Textile dermatitis can cause a lot of discomfort and even pain. Left unchecked, the rashes can become infected. 

In this post, we discuss how to shop for hypoallergenic clothes that are least likely to cause skin reactions. 

What Causes Textile Dermatitis? 

Dermatitis refers to skin inflammation, which results in symptoms like redness, itching and rashes. The most common form of dermatitis is contact dermatitis, which occurs when your skin comes into contact with something that causes a reaction. This can be fabric, metal, certain skin products and so on. 

Textile dermatitis is a type of contact dermatitis. It happens when your skin reacts to certain fabrics. You can get itchy, develop rashes or bumps and get red patches. This reaction can be immediate or it can occur hours after contact with the fabric. 

Textile dermatitis often occurs on areas of the skin in close contact with clothes like the elbows, knees, thighs, butt and neck. This is also why women are at a higher risk of textile dermatitis since they tend to wear tighter fitting clothes. 

Heat, humidity and friction can trigger or worsen textile dermatitis. So wearing clothes that don't wick moisture or have poor breathability can make your itching and rashes worse.  

It’s Not the Fibers; It’s the Chemicals 

Researchers have found that it’s usually not the fibers of a certain material that cause skin reactions, but rather chemicals or substances in the fibers. 

If, for example, you react to polyester, you are likely reacting to dyes, glues and other chemicals like formaldehyde that are added during the manufacturing process. 

Research has also found that people with wool allergy are actually not allergic to the wool itself but a wax that’s found on the wool called lanolin. 

5 Tips When Shopping for Skin-friendly Clothes 

1. Natural Fabrics Are Your Safest Choice 

There is no completely safe fabric that’s guaranteed not to cause allergy or sensitivity. But generally speaking, clothes made with natural fabrics are better for your skin. There are two main reasons for this. 

One, natural fabrics typically contain fewer chemicals especially if you buy organic. Secondly, natural fabrics breathe and wick sweat better, which reduces the risk of an allergic reaction. 

Most of your clothes should be made from cotton, wool, linen, silk, hemp and other natural materials. Note, however, that you might still be allergic to substances found in natural fibers like lanolin in wool or proteins in silk.

Semi-synthetic fabrics like bamboo and modal are also good though they contain more chemicals compared to natural fibers, so be careful.

2. Avoid Clothes With Too Many Chemical Additives

Whether you are buying natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic, avoid buying clothes with too many chemical additives. These additives are often used to make clothes wrinkle-free or dirt-repellent, so watch out for clothes labeled as such.  

If you suspect you are reacting to the dye in clothes, shop for no-dye clothes. There are also plenty of brands that offer chemical-free and sustainable clothing.  

3. Pick Clothes That Are Soft, Breathable and Sweat-wicking 

Clothes that are rough, trap sweat or make you overheat can increase the risk of an adverse skin reaction including rashes, itching, infections and acne (friction acne and sweat acne).

This is why we recommend clothes made with natural fabrics like cotton and wool. They are softer against the skin, absorb sweat to keep your skin dry and help keep the skin cool.  

4. Buy Antimicrobial Clothes

Antimicrobial clothing like those from Hercleon are designed to fight off bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms. 

Not only does this keep the clothes smelling fresh (no odor-causing bacteria), it also makes them better for your skin by protecting it against acne and infection-causing bacteria.  

5. Wear Loose Fitting Clothes

No matter which clothes you get, make sure they are not too tight. Tight clothes increase the risk of textile dermatitis. They also make it harder for your skin to stay cool and sweat-free.  

Bonus Tip: How You Do Laundry Could Be an Issue, Too 

If most of your clothes, regardless of fabric, are making you itchy or giving you a rash, the problem might be how you are doing laundry. 

Try switching to a hypoallergenic detergent formulated for sensitive skin. Also, ditch the fabric softener if you use it in your washer. It can leave a skin irritating film on clothing.