Sometimes clothes that we have only just bought have a strong smell and can only be worn once they have been washed. But why is this the case? Surely we should be able to expect that something new to be clean and devoid of unpleasant odours? The VRT journalist and radio newsreader Chaima Saysay told VRT Radio 2’s consumer podcast 'Mens erger je niet' that she once bought a new skirt but was unable to wear it because it smelled so bad. “My sister had to lend me a skirt because the smell of my new skirt was simply unbearable”. Our consumer team asked the Ghent University (UGent) textile engineer Johanna Louwagie how this could be.
It was not the first time that Chaima Saysay had noticed an odour when she had bought new clothes. "One day, I was hanging out laundry in my garden when I thought there was a gas leak. Then I suddenly realised that the pungent smell was coming from my own washing line. I had just bought a new blouse and even after washing it, the smell remained very strong. It's a kind of chemical smell, almost like the smell of gas”.
Johanna Louwagie is a textile engineer at the University of Ghent. She confirms that new clothes can sometimes have a very pungent smell. According to her, four factors can be at play, each of which produce their own specific smell.
1. The smell of glue or marker pen
A first cause could be the presence of the gas formaldehyde. “This is often used in the production process, including the process used to make textiles crease-free. It produces a pungent smell that is similar to the smell of glue or marker pen.”
Formaldehyde is also used as an antifungal agent. “It has an antibacterial function. It is sometimes necessary to treat garments with it, when you consider that textiles are often transported in large containers over long distances aboard ships. The conditions there are usually humid and hot, so the risk of bacteria or mould is a genuine concern”.
2. The smell of petrol
Chaima Saysay described how her new blouse had a “petrol-like smell”. The textile expert Johanna Louwagie says that this can be attributed to the use of finishing products that are sprayed onto textiles. “These are used to proving the finishing coating that is applied to clothing to give garments a special effect, for example to make them more shiny. Finishing products are also sometimes used as anti-static agents to prevent static electricity forming on garments”.
“The petrol smell will be found more often on garments that include faux leather or on a polyester fleece. The good news is, if the smell comes from the finishing product, the chances are that it will go away after a few washes”.
3. The smell of plastic
“If your clothing smells of plastic this may indicate that plasticisers have been used in the production process. These are used to keep clothes supple.”
Plastics are present in clothing more often than you would at first think. “If your clothing is not 100% cotton or wool, the basic raw material used to produce it is almost always a plastic such as polyester or nylon. The plastic used can contain components that later start to evaporate, causing a pungent smell”, Johanna Louwagie explains.
“You are more likely to encounter the smell of plastic with cheaper clothes bought at budget-friendly shops such as H&M, Zeeman and Wibra. This is because the plastic they use is cheaper. However, using cheaper plastic is often at the expense of chemical quality and stability.”
4. The smell of rotten fish or urine
If you are really unlucky the clothing might even smell of rotten fish, urine or ammonia. “This comes from the amines that are present in some dyes that are also used in textiles. Think of a skirt with a piece of rubber on it or a pullover that contains a piece of artificial leather.”
But how do you get the odours out of your clothes?
“You can get rid of the smell by washing them in the washing machine with bicarbonate of soda. Add it into the container you put your detergent in and you can replace your fabric softener with vinegar. By doing this you have a good chance of getting rid of the unpleasant smell”, Johanna Louwagie concludes.
“In any case, I always recommend washing new clothes first before wearing them. Not only because of the smell, but also to avoid skin irritations”.