The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast is live: Listen here.
Toxic Fashion

Toxic Fashion

Packaged food items (obviously) have ingredients lists. Our favorite beauty products have ingredients lists. And those cleaning products under the kitchen sink? Yup, they’ve got ingredients lists, too.

Ever wonder why our clothes don’t have ingredients lists? While we’d *like* to think our favorite garments are made of woven fibers and nothing more, the sad truth is there are countless unregulated toxic chemicals in our closet go-tos (and these chemicals are likely harming our health).

On today’s show investigative journalist Alden Wicker explains why synthetic fashion and dyes made from fossil fuels are so deeply intertwined with the rise of autoimmune disease, infertility, asthma, eczema, and more; she also suggests concrete action steps for curating a clean(er) closet.

* The book we’re discussing today is our June Book Club selection. If you want in, please join us via Substack! https://sustainableminimalists.substack.com/

 

Here’s a preview:

[7:00] Uncovering the chemicals in our clothes and what they’re doing to our health

[10:30] Taking a special look at the especially problematic petrochemical-based azo dyes (often used on petrochemical-based fibers)

[17:00] If all this stuff is in our clothing, why don’t garments have ingredients lists?

[19:00] Carter’s, Victoria’s Secret, and victim body blaming

[31:00] Why ‘organic’ doesn’t mean much when it comes to clothing

[36:00] For subscribers! Action steps for curating a clean(er) closet

 

 

Resources mentioned:

 

Comments are closed.

Listen to the Podcast

The Sustainable Minimalists Podcast
Latest podcast:

The Unfollow Effect

We've come a long way. But not necessarily in the right direction.

From the the nostalgic days of AOL Instant Messenger to 2026's high-stakes, algorithmic landscape, constant connectivity has fundamentally shifted our attention spans, our peace of mind, and the way we show up for our families.

Worse, the desire to show up online often takes us directly out of real life. It's no surprise, then, that we're feeling the mental and emotional weight of the "scroll".

We don't have to throw our phones in a lake to find the reprieve we desperately need. On today's show author Emily Feldpausch argues that it isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about reclaiming the intentionality that the algorithms try to take away.

Here's a preview:

[5:00] Reflections on the shift from the early days of AIM and MySpace to the current user experience that often feels designed against us

[8:45] How being always on has eroded our collective sense of peace and altered the dynamics of modern family life

[18:00] How to stop checking in and start being present

[23:00] A candid look at 2026 internet culture, from shopping hauls to harmful beauty standards. Can we still find corners of the web that align with our true values?

[27:00] Emily's personal strategies for maintaining phone boundaries to protect her mental space

 

Resources mentioned:


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Subscribe

My Story

Hello there, I’m Stephanie. I live a crazy, beautiful life as a full-time wife, blogger + mother to two spirited daughters. I’m on a mission to simplify eco-friendly living so as to greater enjoy life’s sweeter moments.

Want to know more? Read my story.

Sustainable minimalism for home, head + heart.

Join our community of eco-conscious women on a collective journey towards sustainable simplicity.

Join us!