A woman has gone viral after warning viewers about the dangers of polyester. At the time of writing, Ryan-Alexandra (@ryanalexandrapetit) has amassed 1.6 million views on her cautionary TikTok.
She began by saying she was “sick and tired” of finding polyester in every clothing outlet.
“You go on SHEIN, you look at a silk skirt…It says 100% polyester—its $5,” she said. “You go to Zara, you see the same exact skirt. They’re selling it for $45. You look at the materials, 100% polyester.”
The TikToker then goes on to claim polyester causes health conditions like PCOS and cancer.
“Your panties is made out of 100% polyester,” she said. “You’re sleeping on 100% polyester sheets. The clothes you wear is 95% polyester, 5% viscose, which is the same thing. Everything got polyester. Polyester is poison.”
@ryanalexandrapetit Polyester, viscose (rayon), Nylon, conventional cotton, & Arcylic STAY AWAY from these fabrics. #blackgirlluxury #fashiontips #healthyliving #sustainablefashion #blackwomen #toxic ♬ original sound – Ryan-Alexandra
Adding that she was “tired of being taken advantage of” Ryan-Alexandra then lamented how difficult it was to find 100% cotton clothes.
“I went on Amazon and I was looking for 100% cotton hoodie,” she said. “I could barely find any, and I did not want to spend $45 on 100% cotton. I just didn’t.”
She then went on to claim she had a similar experience at two other non-specified stores, where 100% cotton clothes cost $50.
“I’m so sick and tired of being plotted against, slowly, killed, premeditated,” she concluded. “Wearing polyester is premeditated murder or suicide, depending how you look at it […] I just can’t do it no more.”
Viewers expressed similar frustrations in the comments about the purported danger of polyester and the difficulty of finding cotton clothes.
“Polyester is EVERYWHERE,” one wrote.
“It’s so hard to find cotton clothes for real,” another added.
“I refuse to purchase polyester clothing,” a third wrote. “Cotton or nothing.”
Creator responds
In an email to the Daily Dot, the creator said she wanted others to begin learning more about what they put “on and around their bodies.”
“I understand fast fashion is easily accessible and super affordable—that’s the same reason I used to purchase from it,” she shared. “I eventually got tired of not loving what I was wearing comfort-wise and the fact that it didn’t last long. I realized that everything I hated wearing, especially during the summer was made out of polyester, including most of my underwear.”
She said she realized that 100% cotton is rare to find, which she thinks wasn’t the case so long ago.
“Now I’m switching out all my plastic/toxic pieces (recycled polyester included) for organic cotton, linen, and wool,” she claimed. “Through research and being more intentional about what I put on my temple I’ll begin to heal. I’m no expert, just a regular girl that wants to do better.”
Does polyester make you sick?
There’s no evidence of a direct link between polyester and conditions like PCOS and cancer. Still, according to an article in The Guardian, American Airlines, Delta, and Southwest staff started experiencing health problems like rashes, coughs, and migraines when their uniforms were switched to synthetic polyester.
However, it wasn’t the polyester itself that made the workers sick—it was the presence of other harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, and hexavalent chromium.
This means that while polyester itself doesn’t pose huge health risks, other additives might.
The Daily Dot has reached out to SHEIN and Zara for further comment via email.
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