Name: J Smith
Message: I Just recently found out i'm allergic to a chemical called Dispurse # 6 and was told to change the types of clothes i wear could you give me a list of what kind to buy without any of this chemical in them Thank You Mrs. J. Smith

Disperse dyes appear to be the most allergenic of textile dyes. There are many references in the medical literature to dermatitis caused by contact with disperse dyes. This is perhaps due to the fact that this sort of dye gradually rubs off of the garments it is used to color, so wearers are exposed more to the dye, and are thus more likely to develop a reaction.

Disperse dyes are used only for synthetic fibers. They can be used on nylon (though nylon can also be dyed with less irritating acid dyes), and they are used a great deal on polyester and other synthetics. Polyester is always dyed with disperse dyes, so you must avoid polyester above all. Disperse dye cannot be used to dye natural fibers, so all natural fibers are safe for a disperse-dye-allergic person.

Here is a list of fabrics that are never dyed with disperse dye and thus should be safe for you: cotton, linen, rayon (viscose rayon), hemp, lyocell (Tencel), wool, silk, and other animal fibers such as mohair, angora, etc.

However, you must be very careful of lined garments. Oftentimes you will find a garment labeled as being 100% cotton or wool, when its lining is actually acetate, which is a synthetic fiber that may be dyed with disperse dye.

Synthetic fibers that may be dyed with disperse dye include but are not limited to: acrylic, acetate (including rayon acetate), polyester, Astron, Crimplene, Dacron, Enkalen, Fortrel, Lavsan, Mylar, Tergal, Terlenka, Terylene, Trevira, Polarfleece, Polartec, Orlon, Courtelle, Dralon, Leacryl, and Nitron.

Some synthetic fibers are sometimes dyed with other dyes, but it is impossible to tell which are safe for you, just from the fiber contents label. Your best rule of thumb is simply to stick to 100% natural fibers, making sure that any linings are also made of natural fibers.

Polyester thread is commonly used to sew together even natural fiber garments, but you will probably find that this amount of exposure is okay for you. If not, you might end up wearing 100% cotton garments that are sewn with cotton thread only. Clothing that is labeled as being "garment dyed" may be sewn with dyeable natural fiber thread; so is PFD ("Prepared Fro Dyeing") undyed clothing from sources such as Dharma Trading Company. You can safely dye your own cotton clothing using fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye, without affecting your disperse dye allergy, if you are careful to avoid excess exposure to dye powder. (Breathing any sort of dye powder is apt to encourage the formation of new allergies.)