Can new uniforms and work clothes release formaldehyde onto your skin?

What's actually in it

New clothing, especially uniforms and wrinkle-free fabrics, is treated with formaldehyde-based resins during manufacturing. These resins keep fabrics from wrinkling, help them hold color, and make them resist shrinking. Formaldehyde is classified as a known human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

When you wear these clothes, formaldehyde can off-gas into the air you breathe and transfer directly to your skin through sweat. The chemical is particularly irritating to people with sensitive skin, eczema, or respiratory conditions like asthma.

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 authors documented reports of workers and students developing skin rashes, breathing problems, and eye irritation after wearing new uniforms.

The review found that the U.S. has no federal limits on formaldehyde in clothing, unlike the European Union and Japan, which cap levels at 75 parts per million for items worn against the skin. Some U.S. uniforms tested well above those international limits.

People who wear the same uniform every day, like military personnel, healthcare workers, and school students, face the highest cumulative exposure. The formaldehyde levels are worst when clothes are brand new and decrease with washing, but may never fully disappear from heavily treated fabrics.

Wash all new clothing at least twice before wearing it against your skin. Choose uniforms and work clothes made from untreated natural fibers when possible, and look for OEKO-TEX certified fabrics that are tested for harmful chemical levels.