4 ms·

An absurd challenge: walk to into a target or some other large retail store and try to find mens briefs that do not have moisture wicking treatment. It feels l

An absurd challenge: walk to into a target or some other large retail store and try to find mens briefs that do not have moisture wicking treatment. It feels like I'm in a strange dystopia trying to find undergarments not treated with some sort of PFAS additives.

AlgorithmicTime 5y ago
I don't think PFAS are for moisture wicking. More water/moisture repelling. Also, go to Costco and there's a 3 or 4 pack of 100% cotton boxer-briefs on sale.
dd36 5y ago
Me too but for undershirts! I didn’t see your comment before making mine.
ashildr 5y ago
This is really strange - I’m in Germany and I hear for the first time that underwear is treated like this. None of the brand I wear (HOM) seem to be and I don’t remember that being mentioned on any pack of underwear I purchased the last 40 years. Is it an US thing? (and yes, I’m posting about my underwear on hacker news. weird.)
- strict9 5y ago
  It is strange! It's a recent thing in the US, yes. Probably in the past 4-5 years nearly all major brands put some sort of special chemical that gives it 'moisture wicking' (usually in partnership with Dow or 3M).
  - ashildr 5y ago
    Maybe it’s only in sports apparel over here?
  - ectopod 5y ago
    I just bought some new underwear from Marks & Spencer in the UK which has their "Cool & Fresh" treatment. I haven't worn it yet but this thread is putting me off. M&S publish a Manufacturing Restricted Substances List [1] for their suppliers, which seems to ban the use of all per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals in the manufacture of textiles for them. Either I'm misunderstanding, or some of these underwear treatments don't involve PFAs. Who knows what they use instead? [1]: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/plan-a-our-approach/ecp-modules-2020/mns-ecp-mrsl-and-rsl.pdf https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/plan-a-our-a...

AlgorithmicTime 5y ago

I don't think PFAS are for moisture wicking. More water/moisture repelling. Also, go to Costco and there's a 3 or 4 pack of 100% cotton boxer-briefs on sale.

dd36 5y ago

Me too but for undershirts! I didn’t see your comment before making mine.

ashildr 5y ago

This is really strange - I’m in Germany and I hear for the first time that underwear is treated like this. None of the brand I wear (HOM) seem to be and I don’t remember that being mentioned on any pack of underwear I purchased the last 40 years. Is it an US thing? (and yes, I’m posting about my underwear on hacker news. weird.)

strict9 5y ago
It is strange! It's a recent thing in the US, yes. Probably in the past 4-5 years nearly all major brands put some sort of special chemical that gives it 'moisture wicking' (usually in partnership with Dow or 3M).
- ashildr 5y ago
  Maybe it’s only in sports apparel over here?
- ectopod 5y ago
  I just bought some new underwear from Marks & Spencer in the UK which has their "Cool & Fresh" treatment. I haven't worn it yet but this thread is putting me off. M&S publish a Manufacturing Restricted Substances List [1] for their suppliers, which seems to ban the use of all per- and poly-fluorinated chemicals in the manufacture of textiles for them. Either I'm misunderstanding, or some of these underwear treatments don't involve PFAs. Who knows what they use instead? [1]: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/plan-a-our-approach/ecp-modules-2020/mns-ecp-mrsl-and-rsl.pdf https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/plan-a-our-a...