When it's hot outside (really hot) what's the best apparel to wear; natural or synthetic?
The U.S. Marine Corps now prohibits troops in Iraq from wearing synthetic clothing while off base . . . after too many unfortunate burns from soldiers wearing polyester, acrylic, and nylon—which readily melts in high heat and fuses to the skin. (What did you expect? This stuff is a first cousin to plastic—both products of the oil industry.)
Of course, that begs the question of whether flame retardant chemicals applied to synthetic apparel are safer?
Today, most synthetic fabrics contain a new generation of flame retardant chemicals bonded into the fabric, which must survive 50+ washings.
Lab studies show that flame retardants (PBDEs) can cause a slew of health issue, from thyroid problems, fertility problems and even cancer.
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