check your pants for biocides!!

[NigelGresley]

DH bought some new pants from M&S but will be taking them straight back as they appear to have been treated with some sort of anti bacterial agent. WHY?
Seems to be a relatively recent thing, but these chemicals present known health and environmental hazards, so why the bloody hell do retailers think we want this stuff on our nether regions or anywhere for that matter??

Awful, awful idea. I urge you to check the packaging carefully before making any purchases to see if the item has been treated.

I expect whoever came up with this idea was the same person who thought up scented sanitary products!

Oh dear. I wonder if the men's pants are similarly treated or is it just us who are deemed to need disinfecting at every given opportunity.

I bought DH some socks and underwear in Sainsbury’s when a certain Irish airline (not Ryanair, the other one) lost his luggage. All the socks and I’m pretty sure some of the pants were antibacterial.

I really thought this was a typo and would actually be about pLants 😳

I know chemenger it appears Sainsbos have done it too. I wanted some sock/pant gifts before Christmas but couldn’t find anything suitable.

Lol AllGoodDogs , yes it’s definitely undies.

Please check the labels and don’t buy this stuff!!

Just wash them

I hate this! Flame retardents on the kids' pyjamas, stain repellents and non-iron finishes on their school uniform, and now biocides on our undies! What is the justification for clothes manufacturers poisoning us and the environment with all these unneccessary chemicals? I have previously written to several clothing companies about this but have just had copy-and-paste replies regretting my disatifaction with their products.

Giggage, unfortunately washing the garments won't help. These substances are designed to last for many washes - they will probably outlive the pants themselves.

I have p

Not sure where the stray "I have p" came from...

The chemicals end up in the eco system due to washing them.

When they use nano-silver it is extremely persistent in the environment, it will kill bacteria for ever, effectively, which is not a good idea. It is misuse of technology for a trivial purpose, wash your socks to stop them smelling. We have to get over our ludicrous fear of germs.

I suspect this is sold as a benefit to us but makes manufacturing and selling easier in some way. It’s not a benefit to consumers. Many manufacturers also put formaldehyde which is cancer causing on clothes so that rats don’t want to eat them and to avoid mould during shipping, storing etc. It lasts several washes and is really bad for human and planet health and I read an article that had tested many retailers samples and most were multiple times the safe level sadly.