The debates have been out there for quite some time. No doubt it is a concerning matter. Anything for human use shouldn’t even be remotely related to cancer and with wrinkle free fabric do non iron shirts cause cancer?
Non iron shirts have been considered not good for human use and not even environmentally friendly. You will find many opinions on this topic but a lot less ground information to support the debate, but gladly we are here to help you out.
What is a Non Iron Shirt?
The name may have given it off. You do not need to iron a non iron shirt. You can wash them, dry them and hang them out, and you are ready to go.
What is the difference between Non-iron and Easy-iron shirts? There is not much of a difference between the two. Just a few subtle differences make them discrete from each other.
The most common may be that non iron shirts need no iron at all and easy iron might need some ironing but are comparatively easier.
Non iron shirts are made up of cotton fibers or any other fine material. The magic lies in the technique used afterward rather than just the material.
The shirt goes through some process at the manufacturers and that makes it less prone to getting wrinkles. But even if it is not taken care of, you might see some creases on your non iron shirt.
4 Perks of having a Non Iron Shirt
- Due to the treatment by manufacturers. These shirts are more resistant to wrinkles and wear off.
- It saves you a lot of time. Just wash the shirt and let it dry and voila! You have your shirt ready.
- They are great for anyone who is into traveling where you cannot carry an iron with you.
- The material usually used in non iron shirts do not shrink so you can just check that out of the box.
How do Non Iron Shirts cause Cancer?
This is the quite same statement and to break it down, let’s start with the point that why would anyone think of such a preposterous idea?
Non iron shirts are treated with formaldehyde. What is formaldehyde? It is a chemical used for preserving human tissue and is proven to be carcinogenic.
We hear the word carcinogenic and assume that if we even get anywhere near this, we will straight end up getting cancer.
To believe such a strong statement, you need scientific evidence. And scientific testing has suggested that formaldehyde is found in trace quantities. Anything can turn into poison if it crosses its normal limit.
In the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, the research has proven that the formaldehyde is in trace amounts and not enough to produce any kind of cancer. It is present in less than 100 ppm in treated shirts. This much is not enough to cause such drastic effects.
With the heating, washing, and drying, the amount of formaldehyde gets lower and lower. It is recommended that you wash your non iron shirt before wearing it for the first time, just to be sure.
The maximum issue you might face with a non iron shirt and the formaldehyde is that you might face issues of dermatitis if your skin is sensitive or allergic.
Can you Iron a Non Iron Shirt?
There is nothing wrong if you want to iron your non iron shirt; just for the sake because they do not need much ironing, save your time!
It is not necessary to iron all parts of your shirt, only the part that got some wrinkles. It does not need high temperatures and can be done with little pressure.
Keep in mind that when you are ironing your non iron shirt, keep the heat at low; otherwise you might end up damaging your shirt.
Also, you can read here what happens if you iron your non iron shirt!
Bottomline
There is little to no scientific evidence that non iron shirts can cause cancer. Rather, there are multiple studies showing that just a fragment of the lethal dose is found in the treated shirt and this is not harmful to the human body.
It is just not enough to cause cancer. Just because it is somehow related to being carcinogenic doesn’t mean it has the potential to cause the sickness.