None of us wants yet one more environmental hazard to worry about. But ignorance is not bliss. Wired offers an interview with Alden Wicker about the book to the right, and the Fresh Air podcast with her is also worth the listen, especially if you have sensitive skin and/or have ever wondered if your clothing was the cause of certain kinds of discomfort. Women of reproductive age, especially, listen to both:

Your Clothes Are Making You Sick

This week, we talk to the author of To Dye For, a new book about toxic fashion and the abundance of harmful chemicals in our clothing.

HOTOGRAPH: ALFIAN WIDIANTONO/GETTY IMAGES

HAVE YOU EVER put on a new shirt and discovered that it makes you feel itchy? Or taken off a new pair of pants at the end of the day to find that the fabric has given you a rash? This problem is increasingly common as more chemicals are added to our clothing when they’re dyed or treated with additives that make them resistant to stains, wrinkles, and odors. Some of these chemicals are irritants that can cause breathing problems or skin issues. Others are toxic enough to trigger life-altering autoimmune diseases. Since the fashion industry operates within loose regulations, the problem of toxic apparel isn’t going away anytime soon.