Can formaldehyde from uniforms and work clothes make you sick?

What's actually in it

Formaldehyde is applied to fabrics to make them wrinkle-resistant, stain-resistant, and colorfast. It's found in uniforms, dress shirts, permanent press clothing, and some bedsheets. New clothes have the highest levels, but some formaldehyde remains even after multiple washes. You absorb it through your skin and breathe it in as it off-gasses from the fabric.

What the research says

A 2025 review in Rev Environ Health examined formaldehyde exposure from uniforms and made the case for U.S. textile regulation. The review found that many uniforms contain formaldehyde at levels known to cause skin rashes, breathing problems, and allergic reactions. The U.S. has no federal limit on formaldehyde in textiles, unlike the EU and Japan.

Workers who wear uniforms daily, including military, healthcare, and food service workers, face the highest ongoing exposure. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen with no safe level for skin contact.

Wash all new clothes before wearing them, ideally twice. Choose fabrics labeled "formaldehyde-free" or made from untreated natural fibers like organic cotton and linen. Avoid "wrinkle-free" and "permanent press" labels.