Is vintage clothing dangerous? (specifically polyester/synthetic fibers)?

[FedoraFan112390]

I am considering buying a vintage 1970s era Polyester shirt. I've never bought any vintage clothes outside of a hat before.

My question is, do any of these fabrics in shirts and such degrade over time, potentially releasing potentially harmful (short or long term healthwise) chemicals? For example, if I bough this Polyester shirt, which seems to be in great condition, could it have degraded naturally with time to release chemicals that might, from use, cause cancer or something else? Not just with polyester, but with any old shirts (synthetic or natural fibers)?

 

[Sloan1874]

I doubt there's any real issue about wearing synthetic fibres, it take a bit more than human sweat to set polyester to rot, but I'm not sure why anyone would want a shirt that was so uncomfortable. While I can appreciate that the design might be desirable, it's cotton, linen and wools that are by far the most comfortable against skin.

 

[Dinerman]

You've been considering buying that polyester shirt for eight years now- did you finally find the right one?

 

[Peacoat]

You've been considering buying that polyester shirt for eight years now- did you finally find the right one?

For me it would take longer than 8 years to fully consider buying a polyester shirt!

 

[ProteinNerd]

For me it would take longer than 8 years to fully consider buying a polyester shirt!

[emoji23]

 

[FedoraFan112390]

You've been considering buying that polyester shirt for eight years now- did you finally find the right one?

More the courage internally to wear what I like regardless of what society says is "okay." Which has yes, been a long struggle.

 

[bn1966]

Think I was made to wear a polyester shirt at school in the 70's.....

 

[zebedee]

Buying it is probably healthier than worrying about its negligible (i.e. zero) chance of doing you any damage.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

The only real health risks from a polyester shirt are for the enviroment, in that, as with fleeces, they release small particles of plastic into the water system when washed.
Polyester & nylon are particularly degraded by UV's which is less of a problem with clothing, but everything degrades with time. I wouldn't worry about any health risks for yourself with the shirt, everything you eat, drink & breathe is contaminated by something or other that's going to kill you, so a vintage shirt is the least of your worries.............I would be more concerned about wanting a polyester shirt in the first place.

 

[bn1966]

Vintage clothing & copies of are very dangerous for your bank balance

 

[Feraud]

More the courage internally to wear what I like regardless of what society says is "okay." Which has yes, been a long struggle.

What exactly is the grand dilemma? You live in Brooklyn. The population there wears a lot more outrageous clothing than a polyester shirt.

 

[tropicalbob]

When I lived in Brooklyn the girls there seemed to have discovered a hair-dye color that had never been seen before (or since) and that was completely unknown in nature. It was a kind of purplish-orange sulfate, and when you saw them in direct sunlight their heads seemed to be emitting dangerous gamma rays.

 

[Peacoat]

The only real health risks from a polyester shirt are for the enviroment, in that, as with fleeces, they release small particles of plastic into the water system when washed.
Polyester & nylon are particularly degraded by UV's which is less of a problem with clothing, but everything degrades with time. I wouldn't worry about any health risks for yourself with the shirt, everything you eat, drink & breathe is contaminated by something or other that's going to kill you, so a vintage shirt is the least of your worries.............I would be more concerned about wanting a polyester shirt in the first place.

OK, now that is funny!

 

[feltfan]

All vintage clothing presents a health risk. Leave it to the experts. Leather jackets are carcinogenic- aniline dyes
have been linked to bladder cancer. Older hats were made with mercury, for heaven's sake. Vintage wrist watches
contain radium. Do you have any idea the hazardous chemicals used in Sanfordizing and the Cravanette Process?

Don't take the risk. Leave vintage leather jackets, vintage hats, and wrist watches to those of us who know
how to handle them safely.

 

[sweetfights]

All vintage clothing presents a health risk. Leave it to the experts. Leather jackets are carcinogenic- aniline dyes
have been linked to bladder cancer. Older hats were made with mercury, for heaven's sake. Vintage wrist watches
contain radium. Do you have any idea the hazardous chemicals used in Sanfordizing and the Cravanette Process?

Don't take the risk. Leave vintage leather jackets, vintage hats, and wrist watches to those of us who know
how to handle them safely.

Too FUNNY! LOL

 

[sweetfights]

I grew up in the 70's. After the disco era I absolutely hated polyester shirts and 3/4 leather jackets.
Now strangely, I love the fit of a button up polyester shirt (solid colors only) but still hate the 3/4 leather.

 

[FedoraFan112390]

All vintage clothing presents a health risk. Leave it to the experts. Leather jackets are carcinogenic- aniline dyes
have been linked to bladder cancer. Older hats were made with mercury, for heaven's sake. Vintage wrist watches
contain radium. Do you have any idea the hazardous chemicals used in Sanfordizing and the Cravanette Process?

Don't take the risk. Leave vintage leather jackets, vintage hats, and wrist watches to those of us who know
how to handle them safely.

Can't tell if serious...?

 

[navetsea]

polyester tend to get smelly after several wear and hard to get the smell out, can't imagine a vintage one... probably has collected odor for decades, hazardous to open the package indoor.

 

[Monitor]

I have been told that life can be a very dangerous thing.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I have been told that life can be a very dangerous thing.

Yep, none of us are getting out alive.