I am also very reactive to organic cotton. My thought is that it is less processed and has a natural oil that is somehow diluted or altered during the processing of regular (pesticided) cotton that makes it more tolerable. I am also reactive to organic wool. Regular cotton is much less a problem for me (to my dismay, after spending hundreds of dollars on organic cotton blankets, futon, and clothing!).

Yes, I totally agree with your analysis Debra, and am glad you brought this up. My organic cotton futon is sitting in my front closet with the hopes that someday I will be at a higher level of health and less reactive to my environment, and can one day use it. It is unfortunate (and quite ironic) for some of us with MCS that find ourselves reactive to many "natural" or "healthier" materials and are forced to try more toxic alternatives. But sometimes we just have no choice. We need to remember to keep an open mind and every once in a while, keep trying those materials that affected us previously - you just never know.

My body is very unpredictable; I can tolerate some things for days and then be very reactive to them. I think it's all based on my toxic load. Drinking wheatgrass juice (a potent detoxifier of both internal and external factors) daily definitely improved my MCS symptoms, and then when I had to stop for 3 weeks due to a recent back injury, I became much more reactive. Now I am drinking it again and am less reactive again.

I still have hope that one day I will have organic cotton and wool in my life again. :-)

Thanks for your thoughtful comments on this topic; I'm increasingly aware that the path through MCS is a very individual one. Reacting less to products containing and created with more chemicals is so counterintuitive, and being forced to use them very frustrating when your goal is to reduce your overall chemical load.

I've been in touch with Eliana Jantz of Shepherd's Dream (I really want that bed!), who has some thoughts on what some sensitive people might react to in organic cotton: the naturally occurring phenols in cotton (stripped out, perhaps, in conventional processing?), or else the natural fabric finishes, such as corn starch.

Hello folks,

Because of my title, I want to make clear that this is not interpret as a plug for you to buy from me but my own experience and knowledge.

As of today, I do not claim to be a chemical sensitive person but my allergist may think different. Over a year ago, my doctor told me that I was allergic to everything on the book and that I should find a new job, stay behind close doors, get rid of my beautiful dog (a six lb Pom) and move out of the Garden State (NJ)…

Off course, I did not listen to my doctor but I started to live differently. My allergic reactions had been increasing in the last five years. Today, I no longer have carpets at home, or curtains that hold dust, I workout often and try to enjoy fresh air as much as possible. I do sleep on one of my mattresses but not an organic or natural (green) cotton anymore, which I think it was making me sneeze a lot. Instead, I sleep on a non-borate cotton mattress wrapped in wool so that my body is not as close to the cotton and I do not have to worry about the extra chemicals. I also try my best not to take my allergy medicine unless it is very necessary, my body has started to react better during allergy season and have been sleeping well.

Again, sorry if this seems like a plug, but I had to share my experience I get a lot of calls with similar concerns on a daily basis and recommend the following:
1. Request samples of all the ingredients that are being used in anything you buy
2. Make sure that the proper process is taken when your suppliers are making your bedding or mattresses, things can get contaminated very easy. It does not make sense to put organic sheets on a conventional mattress or to make organic mattresses where non-organics are made etc, etc, etc…
3. Keep in mind that everyone reacts different and that the time of the year is also important.

Good luck folks!


Marlon Pando
President
White Lotus Home

I also have dire reactions to all organic clothing...AND to all organically grown foods. over time i have developed some theories but could not know if i am right or not. one, as others suggest, sometimes the more refined and worked and handled and processed something is, the less of its natural essence is left, so there is less for my crazy system to react to...two, is it possible that the fungicides and pesticides on the non-organic textiles and food crops could keep some kind of mold or other toxin from building up to reactable levels (which the organically grown stuff would still have on them naturally)...three, i have used some organic fertilizers (bought in bags and labeled "organic"), which have caused the food i grew in that soil to make me sick. this leads me to wonder what it is in organic types of fertilizing that could be inimical to my system; and what i come up with is that perhaps products from the ocean put levels of something into the soil that gets to me, or if they use fish emulsion, there could be mercury or other heavy metals or other residues in the fish that bother me.

i must say that almost every single cotton garment makes me react these days. i am desperate of course (can't wear other fabrics either). why there are a couple of things i can wear i cannot know. i tried pressure cooking clothes with baking soda for many hours...with many rinses in between...other chemicals would not wash out and made me sick...no luck. i also tried heavy bleaching of some white things and got one or two pieces from that (after lengthy work getting the chlorine residue out) but they will fall apart quickly and still most bother me. i even had a friend who was doing research in ethiopia get me some gauzy cloth woven by the people who grew the cotton right there in front of him, and that stuff made me sick no matter how much i washed it too. we are not helped by the use of a zillion different chemicals to aid in weaving, bleaching, coloring, optical brightening, finishing, etc etc. my final conclusion is that WHO KNOWS?

I have written several informative and I hope helpful pieces for this blog .This time however ,I am writing merely to express my sincere gratitude for the comfort I find in learning that others with MCS experience the same frustating,contradictory , fluctuating and unexplainable reactions that I do .I violently react to organic coton and have since the inception of my MCS 4 years ago.For obvious reasons ,I have found this emotionaly as well as physically disturbing but now I feel beter knowing that I am not the only one whose ill health has led to the intolerance of the "healthy"product.
Love Always,
Shoshanna

I wonder if some people are just allergic to cotton...Perhaps these are allergic reactions, versus MCS reactions. I am allergic to corn, wheat and sugar and those sometimes make my sense of smell intolerable just being in the room where they are being prepared. If I eat them, I have stronger reactions.

People often develop allergies to things they are over exposed to (which is why the most common allergens are: wheat, corn, soy, sugar, dairy and yeast) we are inundated with cotton our whole lives, perhaps resulting in an allergy for some. ???maybe??? just a hypothesis...

Regarding MCS problems with cotton, etc. I to have problems with most any fabric these days organic or not. However, and I believe it was on this blog, I was made aware of soaking fabric in milk. Apparently the enzymes in the milk have the ability to remove the chemicals from the fabric. Also, I am fortunate enough to live near a raw milk dairy and buy raw milk for $8 a gallon which I believe has even more active enzymes. I use 1/3 to 1/2 milk to water and soak the fabric for 2-3 days. It's helpful to agitate it a little each day. I find it necessary to wash it in my natural cleaning products 2-3 times to get the milk smell out, then I can usually tolerate it in the house. This method will pull some of the color out at times. Prior to this I was having to wash new items up to 20 times to tolerate them. I hope this is helpful to some of you.
Michelle H

Hi, I found the entries very interesting. I started knitting after 50 years, but immediately had an allergic reaction with my eyes with synthetics the worst. I then switched to organic cotton yarn. More slowly, my eyes began to worsen. I now know that I am one of those who are allergic to cotton? How sad. I don't have problems wearing washed cotton, but I do use a green detergent on my clothes and bedding to prevent my face breaking out. I am considering trying using goggles for knitting or trying it outside in the summer. I am moderately allergic to the environment, ie dust, mold, pollen, weeds, etc. What family is cotton from? My Dad lived on a cotton farm in Arkansas!

Maybe my experience might be helpful to some of you...

I use unbleached cotton diapers for my son. Instructions to "prep" them for use were to wash them multiple (6 or more) times on a hot washer cycle. Online, I also found that some moms boil the diapers with either a small amount of dishwasher soap or a detergent for 10-15min. I boiled mine without any detergent for about 30 min and it seemed to work well. The water was brown when the natural cotton oils were stripped off. I also use peroxide based-bleach for taking out stains, which should also do a good job of stripping the oils.

I am guessing that organic cotton probably undergoes more processing than the unbleached diapers I have, but if the sensitivities people are having are due to the oils, like someone else mentioned, maybe boiling the clothes or pretreating with peroxide-based bleach might work for some folks with MCS. Of course, some folks may be sensitive to the bleach...

I have been desperately searching the web for any comments about organic cotton allergies. I purchased some organic cotton shirts and sweaters around Christmas (made in China) and have developed a painful itchy rash each time I wear a garment, even after several wasings. The rash seems to be centralized around where my bra rubs my skin (NO new bras mind you, so I ruled that out.) I've got a perscription steriod to take care of the rash. Then, just as a test I wore another shirt and I'm broken out AGAIN. Anyone have this reaction? Is Organic cotton treated with any organic chemical I can look up? I heard maybe cornstarch may be added to organic cotton and I am supposed to not eat corn.
Any guidance or help appreciated!
Amy

Thanks everyone for your personal experiences with organic cotton. I too am one of those who reacts to organic cottons ... I have a bundle of 'the good stuff' packed away because I'm not at this point anyway, able to tolerate them. I have found out a couple things that are true for me:
1. Cotton seed oil doesn't like me, I don't like it. That may mean both, "I am allergic" and "I am reactive". It has something to do with my AB+ blood type and from all my experiences it confirms my sensitivity at this time.
2. My old, very washed and used cotton clothing, beddding and window covers create no ill-effects. So, for now I am using them to create safe havens.

Thanks for the ideas that milk might neutralize the oils. I'm soaking thrift shop cottons with sticky smell in a tub of milk right now. May try it with an organic pillow case.

On and on ... the journey is a winding one, it's might though so I love it.

The journey continues about knitting yarns. I wrote I am allergic to cotton yarn (orgnic or regular) in a mild way concerning my eyes. I stopped taking a few herbs because of testing for allergies and the itching-red-puffy eyes went away. I'm wondering if the fibers and one of the herbs that I take for allergies reacted together! I don't have problems with the herbs or with just the cotton yarn alone. I am in the process of discovering what the combination is. I am terribly allergic to dust and dust mites, so that is another possibility. The yarn might contain these two. I'll keep you posted as I discover more. In the meantime, I send out good wishes for those who have an all-over-the-body reaction. However, I do wash clothing/bedding before using as something in the pre-washed bothers me. I think it is sizing.

I am one of your many fans - have followed your wonderful tips for years - thank you, Debra!

We are finally ready to purchase an organic mattess & box spring and are frustrated because there are no stores nearby - so we must buy online (without trying out the mattress).

We are a bit concerned about reacting to organic cotton . . . a mattress is a huge purchase! If we do not react to organic cotton pillowcases - is that a good test? Does that mean we will not react to organic wool and cotton in a mattress?

Also -we read that organic cotton batting has a naturally occurring poison/toxin - help!

Thanks again.

Andy

Hi again,

A little more looking around shows that there are many articles referencing the mycotoxin content of cottonseed and cotton seed oil. And indeed, cottonseed (including the oil) resides on several lists of foods to avoid because of their mycotoxin content.

Most respectable mold remediators advise throwing out fabrics and porous materials that are contaminated by mold spores (and by extension, their mycotoxins).

Anyway, I do not claim any special knowledge in this area, but I'm convinced now through my own research, experience, and experience of others, that organic cotton may be a big issue for those with mold allergy or mold sensitivity. And indeed, since MCS can definitely be induced by mold exposure (many times undetected by people or discounted because they think that small amounts may not be harmful), it is something to seriously consider.

In this case, even though it is "natural," if mycotoxins are involved, the substance can be man-made chemical-free, but still very toxic, neurotoxic in fact.

I do not believe bleaching or ozoning would be sufficient to denature these toxins.

If anyone else with this problem has found a mattress and bedding that they can tolerate I would be very grateful for their advice as this is an never-ending struggle for me and my child.

Best regards,

Deb

I thought I would add to this thread in case it is similar to other people's issues. My son, also, seems to react very negatively to organic cotton. His MCS began after severe long-term mold exposure, coupled with underlying Lyme disease and co-infections, all of which cause systemoc inflammation which makes him seriously reactive to everything. One of his doctors, who was also injured by mold, can no longer herself tolerate organic cotton either.

Depending on the source, processing, or storage, it is possible that "organic" may mean that it has many more natural molds, mycotoxins, endotoxins, yeasts, bacteria on it ... that would normally be destroyed or lessened by all the chemical processing.

There are some companies who ozonate their products, but I haven't checked to see if this would improve things - ozone is not a slam-dunk for mold issues.

I certainly have been blindsided by many products, trying to avoid chemicals, perfumes, and dyes, only to be hit by products that hurt mold-sensitive people, such as detergents, etc ... with "enzymes" and the like.

Best regards,

Deb

Great info - Deb, thank you. In an earlier post, Debra mentioned that organic cotton is the purest there is. Does that still hold true, based on Deb's recent post?

Debra - do you know if the higher quality mattresses, for example - would be safe from Deb's concerns? Is it just the lower-end manufacturers?

Is this concern of Deb's something we'd know right away, if we got samples of the organic cotton batting, for example? In other words, if one is going to react, would it happen with the sample, or only after long-term use of a mattress?

Thanks all.

One thing I just remembered ...


When I tested my son with the sample materials, he did NOT seem to react to the organic cotton batting, that is, the cotton not subjected to the processes involved in the weaving of cloth.


This would lend credence to my theory about the addition of sizing, enzymatic washes, etc ... .


All very strange.

Too bad you can't mix and match.


Deb

I am not terribly allergic to cotton, but experience red eyes and little red bumps on my scalp when I knit with regular or organic 100% cotton. I started using the Free and Clear shampoo that my allergist recommended and it works. However, it does leave your hair limp, probably because no additives. Free and Clear also makes a soap that I have used, but since I do not break out on other parts of my body, I can' really evaluate it.

I started using my regular shampoo that I prefer because I have gray hair, but once again the bumps have returned. I will switch back and forth, but the Free and Clear really is the best. I'm wondering if my eyes were better when I used Free and Clear? I'll have to keep a record.

Good Luck!

Not all organic cotton good are equal. There are some items I can tolerate after washing them several times in hot water and vinegar to remove the cotton oils.
There are others that even after pressure cooking three times for 3 hrs each time continue to have an odor (it's NOT a cotton smell) that I can't tolerate.
When I find I can't get an item safe enough to use I return it and most companies will either give a refund or a credit.