The Fashion Health Manifesto
Whitepaper*
Author: Romina Roman
©2024
Redesigning
Apparel for
Human Health
& Ecosystems
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the world's largest unregulated experiment on
human biology. Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals flow through textile supply
chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-resistance, phthalates for flexibility, PFAS
for stain-proofing, heavy metals in dyes. Unlike food or cosmetics, these
chemicals face minimal safety testing before touching our largest organ
daily, our skin.
The health implications are concerning. Textile workers show elevated rates
of respiratory illness and reproductive disorders. Recent studies detect
microplastics in human blood and major organs, with synthetic clothing
among the suspected sources. Endocrine disruptors in fabric finishes
interfere with hormones at concentrations measured in parts per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion wellness economy obsesses over organic
supplements and filtered water while ignoring what covers 90% of our
bodies. We read ingredient labels on face cream but not on the shirt that
touches our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an enormous shift. The same consumers driving
growth in clean beauty and organic food are beginning to question their
clothing choices. Clean fashion is the missing protocol in the 21st century's
health optimization stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic clothing became a silent health threat
and presents the blueprint for apparel designed as health infrastructure.
The apparel industry's transformation from mass production-first to a
health-first thinking is here.
The Hidden Crisis
A. The Average Wardrobe Is a Chemical Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment International detected microplastics in human
blood for the first time. The source wasn't just food packaging and air
pollution, but the polyester and nylon touching our skin daily. Each wash
cycle of synthetic clothing releases up to 728,000 microplastic fibers into
water systems, while friction from wear releases particles directly absorbed
through our skin.
The chemical burden extends far beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS) coat "performance" fabrics for water resistance
and stain protection. These endocrine disruptors bioaccumulate in fatty
tissues and have been linked to cancer, immune dysfunction, and fertility
issues in studies published in Environmental Health Perspectives (2021).
Textile dyes and finishes contain formaldehyde, heavy metals, and
aromatic amines that cross the skin barrier, especially during heat
exposure and physical activity. Research in the Journal of Exposure
Science (2020) shows these chemicals can be detected in urine within
hours of wearing treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
that we inhale throughout the day, contributing to what toxicologists call
"body burden", which is the total accumulated chemical load our systems
must process.
Just as we now recognize the dangers of lead paint and BPA plastics, synthetic
clothing represents a massive, unacknowledged exposure that's only beginning
to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer for Fashion Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted environmental language while ignoring
human biology entirely. A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic" means little if it's
bleached with chlorine gas, treated with anti-wrinkle formaldehyde, or
finished with synthetic softeners containing quaternary ammonium
compounds.
Ironically, even more problematic is the rise of "eco-friendly" recycled
polyester, a process that transforms plastic bottles into leggings without
addressing the fundamental issue: we're wearing petrochemical waste
against our largest organ.
Current certifications focus on environmental impact during production but
ignore toxicity during the product's 2-3 year lifespan against human skin. The
result is greenwashing that distracts from the real urgency: protecting human
health.
Fashion as Health Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization movement has revolutionized how we think
about inputs, from organic food to filtered water to pharmaceutical-grade
supplements. Yet even the most health-conscious individuals overlook the
fabric covering 90% of their body for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical when we consider dermal absorption rates.
The skin is not a barrier, it's a selective membrane. Heat, friction, and
moisture dramatically increase absorption of chemical compounds, meaning
your workout clothes during exercise present the highest exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the same scrutiny we apply to anything else
entering our biological systems: complete ingredient transparency,
third-party testing for chemical residues, and elimination of known
endocrine disruptors and carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate exposure through intimate apparel often
treated with antimicrobial chemicals and synthetic dyes in direct contact
with sensitive tissues. Children's developing endocrine systems are
particularly susceptible to hormone-disrupting compounds found in
school uniforms and everyday clothing. While the male underwear market
is ruled by polyester, and testicles are wrapped in plastic, having a direct
impact in sperm quality and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles remain far less regulated than cosmetics or
food. A lipstick touching your lips for minutes requires extensive safety
testing, while a shirt touching your torso for hours faces minimal oversight.
This regulatory blind spot has allowed the fashion industry to operate as
an uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond individual health. Textile workers in
manufacturing regions show elevated rates of respiratory illness, skin
conditions, and reproductive disorders, a preview of what chronic exposure
means for the global population wearing these products.
The Emergence of Biowear
A. From Optimization to Integration
The health optimization movement has created the most informed,
data-driven consumer base in history. Ice baths, continuous glucose
monitors, red light therapy, and mitochondrial supplements represent a
culture obsessed with biological performance. Yet this same demographic
continues wearing endocrine-disrupting synthetic fabrics during their
optimization routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by treating clothing as part of your health stack.
a wearable layer designed for cellular harmony rather than fashion cycles.
This isn't about adding another product category; it's about completing the
wellness ecosystem.
By 2030, design schools will teach "healthwear" as a fundamental discipline.
Just as nutrition labels transformed food purchasing decisions, textile
ingredient transparency will become the minimum standard for informed
consumers. Brands that ignore this shift will lose relevance as quickly as
food companies that resisted organic trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for Fashion Health
This market transformation requires new players with different values.
New Bloom represents this shift
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every fabric undergoes third-party testing for
over 100 chemical residues. We source certified organic cotton, hemp, and
innovative materials like seaweed fiber that offer natural antimicrobial
properties without synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing: Complete supply chain visibility with
published chemical test results for every product. No hidden finishes, no
undisclosed treatments, no proprietary blends that could contain harmful
compounds.
Circular by Design: Products engineered for 3-5x industry-standard
lifespan through repairability and upgrade programs. When garments
reach end-of-life, our take-back program ensures responsible disposal
without environmental contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the future of functional clothing: natural UV
protection through plant-based compounds, temperature regulation via
phase-change materials derived from renewable sources, and embedded
wellness features that enhance rather than compromise biological function.
The Economic Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving Transformation
Three converging trends make clean fashion inevitable rather than optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans are accelerating globally. The EU's REACH
regulation now restricts over 1,000 chemical substances in textiles.
California's Safer Consumer Products program targets textile chemicals as
priority concerns. Companies that adapt early avoid costly reformulation
later.
Consumer Sophistication: The same demographic driving growth in organic
food (+10.2% CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9% CAGR), and functional wellness
products (+12.4% CAGR) is beginning to question clothing ingredients. Our
certainty is that this isn't a niche, it's the mainstream wellness market
expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement: Advanced materials science now offers viable
alternatives to synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers, non-toxic dyes, and
chemical-free finishes are transitioning from laboratory curiosities to
scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this opportunity:
Redesigning
Apparel for Human Health
& Ecosystems
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the world's largest unregulated experiment
on human biology. Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals flow through textile
supply chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-resistance, phthalates for
flexibility, PFAS for stain-proofing, heavy metals in dyes. Unlike food or
cosmetics, these chemicals face minimal safety testing before touching
our largest organ daily, our skin.
The health implications are concerning. Textile workers show elevated
rates of respiratory illness and reproductive disorders. Recent studies
detect microplastics in human blood and major organs, with synthetic
clothing among the suspected sources. Endocrine disruptors in fabric
finishes interfere with hormones at concentrations measured in parts
per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion wellness economy obsesses over organic
supplements and filtered water while ignoring what covers 90% of our
bodies. We read ingredient labels on face cream but not on the shirt
that touches our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an enormous shift. The same consumers driving
growth in clean beauty and organic food are beginning to question their
clothing choices. Clean fashion is the missing protocol in the 21st
century's health optimization stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic clothing became a silent health threat
and presents the blueprint for apparel designed as health infrastructure.
The transformation from fashion-first to a functional biology-first
thinking has already begun.
The Hidden Crisis
A. Your Wardrobe Is a Chemical Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment International detected microplastics in
human blood for the first time. The source wasn't just food packaging and
air pollution, but also the polyester and nylon touching our skin daily.
Each wash cycle of synthetic clothing releases up to 728,000 microplastic
fibers into water systems, while friction from wear releases particles
directly absorbed through our skin.
The chemical burden extends far beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS) coat "performance" fabrics for water
resistance and stain protection. These endocrine disruptors
bioaccumulate in fatty tissues and have been linked to cancer,
immune dysfunction, and fertility issues in studies published in
Environmental Health Perspectives (2021).Textile dyes and finishes contain formaldehyde, heavy metals, and
aromatic amines that cross the skin barrier, especially during heat
exposure and physical activity. Research in the Journal of Exposure
Science (2020) shows these chemicals can be detected in urine within
hours of wearing treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing releases volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) that we inhale throughout the day, contributing to what
toxicologists call "body burden", which is the total accumulated
chemical load our systems must process.
Just as we now recognize the dangers of lead paint and BPA plastics,
synthetic clothing represents a massive, unacknowledged exposure that's
only beginning to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer of Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted environmental language while
ignoring human biology entirely. A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic"
means little if it's bleached with chlorine gas, treated with anti-wrinkle
formaldehyde, or finished with synthetic softeners containing quaternary
ammonium compounds.
Ironically, even more problematic is the rise of "eco-friendly" recycled polyester,
which transforms plastic bottles into leggings without addressing thefundamental issue: we're wearing petrochemical waste against our largest
organ.
Current certifications focus on environmental impact during production but
ignore toxicity during the product's 2-3 year lifespan against human skin. The
result is greenwashing that distracts from the real urgency: protecting human
health.
Fashion as Health
Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization movement has revolutionized how we think
about inputs, from organic food to filtered water to pharmaceutical-grade
supplements. Yet even the most health-conscious individuals overlook the
fabric covering 90% of their body for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical when we consider dermal absorption rates. The
skin is not a barrier, it's a selective membrane. Heat, friction, and moisture
dramatically increase absorption of chemical compounds, meaning your
workout clothes during exercise present the highest exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the same scrutiny we apply to anything else
entering our biological systems: complete ingredient transparency, third-party
testing for chemical residues, and elimination of known endocrine disruptors
and carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate exposure through intimate apparel often treated
with antimicrobial chemicals and synthetic dyes in direct contact with sensitive
tissues. Children's developing endocrine systems are particularly susceptible to
hormone-disrupting compounds found in school uniforms and everyday clothing.
While the male underwear market is ruled by polyester, and testicles are wrapped
in plastic, having a direct impact in sperm quality and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles remain far less regulated than cosmetics or food. A lipstick touching your lips for minutes requires extensive safety testing, while a shirt touching your torso for hours faces minimal oversight. This regulatory blind spot has allowed the fashion industry to operate as an uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond individual health. Textile workers in
manufacturing regions show elevated rates of respiratory illness, skin conditions, and reproductive disorders, a preview of what chronic exposure
means for the global population wearing these products.
The Emergence of Biowear
A. From Optimization to Integration
The health optimization movement has created the most informed, data-
driven consumer base in history. Ice baths, continuous glucose monitors,
red light therapy, and mitochondrial supplements represent a culture
obsessed with biological performance. Yet this same demographic
continues wearing endocrine-disrupting synthetic fabrics during their
optimization routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by treating clothing as part of your health stack, a
wearable layer designed for cellular harmony rather than fashion cycles.
This isn't about adding another product category; it's about completing the
wellness ecosystem.
By 2030, design schools will teach "healthwear" as a fundamental
discipline. Just as nutrition labels transformed food purchasing decisions,
textile ingredient transparency will become the minimum standard for
informed consumers. Brands that ignore this shift will lose relevance as
quickly as food companies that resisted organic trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for Fashion Health
This market transformation requires new players with different values.
New Bloom represents this shift
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every fabric undergoes third-party testing for
over 100 chemical residues. We source certified organic cotton, hemp, and
innovative materials like seaweed fiber that offer natural antimicrobial
properties without synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing: Complete supply chain visibility with
published chemical test results for every product. No hidden finishes, no
undisclosed treatments, no proprietary blends that could contain harmful
compounds.
Circular by Design: Products engineered for 3-5x industry-standard
lifespan through repairability and upgrade programs. When garments
reach end-of-life, our take-back program ensures responsible disposal
without environmental contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the future of functional clothing: natural UV
protection through plant-based compounds, temperature regulation via
phase-change materials derived from renewable sources, and embedded
wellness features that enhance rather than compromise biological
function.
The Economic Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving Transformation
Three converging trends make clean fashion inevitable rather than
optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans are accelerating globally. The EU's
REACH regulation now restricts over 1,000 chemical substances in textiles.
California's Safer Consumer Products program targets textile chemicals as
priority concerns. Companies that adapt early avoid costly reformulation
later.
Consumer Sophistication: The same demographic driving growth in
organic food (+10.2% CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9% CAGR), and functional
wellness products (+12.4% CAGR) is beginning to question clothing
ingredients. Our certainty is that this isn't a niche, it's the mainstream
wellness market expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement: Advanced materials science now offers viable
alternatives to synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers, non-toxic dyes, and
chemical-free finishes are transitioning from laboratory curiosities to
scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this state:
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the
world's largest unregulated
experiment on human biology.
Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals
flow through textile supply
chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-
resistance, phthalates for
flexibility, PFAS for stain-
proofing, heavy metals in dyes.
Unlike food or cosmetics, these
chemicals face minimal safety
testing before touching our
largest organ daily, our skin.
The health implications are
concerning. Textile workers show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness and reproductive
disorders. Recent studies detect
microplastics in human blood
and major organs, with synthetic
clothing among the suspected
sources. Endocrine disruptors in
fabric finishes interfere with
hormones at concentrations
measured in parts per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion
wellness economy obsesses over
organic supplements and filtered
water while ignoring what covers
90% of our bodies. We read
ingredient labels on face cream
but not on the shirt that touches
our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an
enormous shift. The same
consumers driving growth in
clean beauty and organic food are
beginning to question their
clothing choices. Clean fashion is
the missing protocol in the 21st
century's health optimization
stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic
clothing became a silent health
threat and presents the blueprint
for apparel designed as health
infrastructure. The apparel
industry's transformation from
mass production-first to a health-
first thinking is here.
The Hidden Crisis
A. Your Wardrobe Is a Chemical
Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment
International detected
microplastics in human blood for
the first time. The source wasn't
just food packaging and air
pollution, but also the polyester
and nylon touching our skin
daily. Each wash cycle of
synthetic clothing releases up to
728,000 microplastic fibers into
water systems, while friction
from wear releases particles
directly absorbed through our
skin.
The chemical burden extends far
beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS)
coat "performance" fabrics for
water-resistance and stain
protection. These endocrine
disruptors bioaccumulate in
fatty tissues and have been
linked to cancer, immune
dysfunction, and fertility
issues in studies published in
Environmental Health
Perspectives (2021).Textile dyes and finishes
contain formaldehyde, heavy
metals, and aromatic amines
that cross the skin barrier,
especially during heat
exposure and physical
activity. Research in the
Journal of Exposure Science
(2020) shows these chemicals
can be detected in urine
within hours of wearing
treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing
releases volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) that we
inhale throughout the day,
contributing to what
toxicologists call "body
burden", which is the total
accumulated chemical load
our systems must process.
Just as we now recognize the
dangers of lead paint and BPA
plastics, synthetic clothing
represents a massive,
unacknowledged exposure that's
only beginning to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer
Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted
environmental language while
ignoring human biology entirely.
A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic"
means little if it's bleached with
chlorine gas, treated with anti-
wrinkle formaldehyde, or
finished with synthetic softeners
containing quaternary
ammonium compounds.
Even more problematic is the rise
of "eco-friendly" recycled
polyester, which transforms
plastic bottles into leggings
without addressing the
fundamental issue: we're wearing
petrochemical waste against our
largest organ.
Current certifications focus on
environmental impact during
production but ignore toxicity
during the product's 2-3 year
lifespan against human skin. The
result is greenwashing that
distracts from the real urgency:
protecting human health.
Fashion as
Health
Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your
Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization
movement has revolutionized
how we think about inputs, from
organic food to filtered water to
pharmaceutical-grade
supplements. Yet even the most
health-conscious individuals
overlook the fabric covering 90%
of their body for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical
when we consider dermal
absorption rates. The skin is not a
barrier, it's a selective membrane.
Heat, friction, and moisture
dramatically increase absorption
of chemical compounds, meaning
your workout clothes during
exercise present the highest
exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the
same scrutiny we apply to
anything else entering our
biological systems: complete
ingredient transparency, third-
party testing for chemical
residues, and elimination of
known endocrine disruptors and
carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and
Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate
exposure through intimate
apparel often treated with
antimicrobial chemicals and
synthetic dyes in direct contact
with sensitive tissues. Children's
developing endocrine systems are
particularly susceptible to
hormone-disrupting compounds
found in school uniforms and
everyday clothing. While the
male underwear market is rules
by polyester, and testicles are
wrapped in plastic, having a
direct impact in sperm quality
and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles
remain far less regulated than
cosmetics or food. A lipstick
touching your lips for minutes
requires extensive safety testing,
while a shirt touching your torso
for hours faces minimal
oversight. This regulatory blind
spot has allowed the fashion
industry to operate as an
uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond
individual health. Textile workers
in manufacturing regions show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness, skin conditions, and
reproductive disorders, a preview
of what chronic exposure means
for the global population wearing
these products.
The Emergence
of Biowear
A. From Optimization to
Integration
The health optimization
movement has created the most
informed, data-driven consumer
base in history. Ice baths,
continuous glucose monitors, red
light therapy, and mitochondrial
supplements represent a culture
obsessed with biological
performance. Yet this same
demographic continues wearing
endocrine-disrupting synthetic
fabrics during their optimization
routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by
treating clothing as part of your
health stack, a wearable layer
designed for cellular harmony
rather.
By 2030, design schools will teach
"healthwear" as a fundamental
discipline. Just as nutrition labels
transformed food purchasing
decisions, textile ingredient
transparency will become the
minimum standard for
informed consumers. Brands that
ignore this shift will lose
relevance as quickly as food
companies that resisted organic
trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for
Fashion Health
This market transformation
requires new players with
different values. New Bloom
represents this shift.
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every
fabric undergoes third-party
testing for over 100 chemical
residues. We source certified
organic cotton, hemp, and
innovative materials like seaweed
fiber that offer natural
antimicrobial properties without
synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing:
Complete supply chain visibility
with published chemical test
results for every product. No
hidden finishes, no undisclosed
treatments, no proprietary blends
that could contain harmful
compounds.
Circular by Design: Products
engineered for 3-5x industry-
standard lifespan through
repairability and upgrade
programs. When garments
reach end-of-life, our take-back
program ensures responsible
disposal without environmental
contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the
future of functional clothing:
natural UV protection through
plant-based compounds,
temperature regulation via
phase-change materials derived
from renewable sources, and
embedded wellness features that
enhance rather than compromise
biological function.
The Economic
Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving
Transformation
Three converging trends make
clean fashion inevitable rather
than optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans
are accelerating globally. The
EU's REACH regulation now
restricts over 1,000 chemical
substances in textiles. California's
Safer Consumer Products
program targets textile chemicals
as priority concerns. Companies
that adapt early avoid costly
reformulation later.
Consumer Sophistication: The
same demographic driving
growth in organic food (+10.2%
CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9%
CAGR), and functional wellness
products (+12.4% CAGR) is
beginning to question clothing
ingredients. Our certainty is that
this isn't a niche, it's the
mainstream wellness market
expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement:
Advanced materials science now
offers viable alternatives to
synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers,
non-toxic dyes, and chemical-free
finishes are transitioning from
laboratory curiosities to
scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this
opportunity:
B. First-Mover Advantages in an Undefended Category
Unlike mature wellness categories with established leaders, clean fashion
remains wide open. Legacy brands carry the burden of existing supply
chains optimized for cost rather than health. New entrants can build with
clean materials and transparent processes from day one.
The infrastructure is also emerging: independent testing labs, certified
organic textile suppliers, and direct-to-consumer platforms that enable
radical transparency. What once required massive capital investment can
now be achieved through strategic partnerships and focused execution.
Most importantly, this isn't just about capturing market share, it's about
creating an entirely new category. The winner won't be the company that
makes the best synthetic clothes slightly less toxic, but the one that redefines
what clothing should be in an age of biological optimization.
Beyond Fashion: A Movement for Human
Flourishing
Starting New Bloom was never about joining the fashion industry, my
intention disrupting it from the outside. The question that sparked this
journey was simple:
If we scrutinize every supplement, every skincare ingredient, every food
additive, why do we give clothing a free pass to our bloodstream?
And, do we actually need so much stuff… and clothes?
This question led to a year of living without purchasing new clothes, studying
toxicology reports, and connecting with chemists, materials scientists, and
health researchers who confirmed what intuition suggested: we're conducting
a massive, uncontrolled experiment on human biology through our wardrobes.
I also found out the average consumer wear 20% of their wardrobes most of the
their life, and some even say we have enough clothes in the market to dress the
next 6 generations. Over 70% of this supply is made out of synthetic material.
Conclusions that made me question the whole state of the industry.
New Bloom exists because our generation deserves clothing that enhances
rather than compromises our health optimization efforts. We're building the
brand we needed as consumers, one that treats transparency as a competitive
advantage and human biology as the ultimate design constraint.
This movement extends far beyond one company. We need materials scientists
developing safer alternatives, researchers studying long-term exposure effects,
regulators closing oversight gaps, and consumers demanding better standards.
Most importantly, we need other entrepreneurs who see clean fashion not as a
niche market, but as essential infrastructure for human flourishing.
The clothes we wear today will determine the health outcomes we face
tomorrow. The choice is ours: continue the uncontrolled experiment, or build
the foundation for clothing that serves life rather than merely covering it.
____________________________________________________________
References
Leslie, H.A., et al. (2022). Discovery and quantification of plastic particles in
human blood. Environment International, 163, 107199.
Blum, A., et al. (2021). PFAS in textiles: A source of concern for human exposure.
Environmental Health Perspectives, 129(4), 047001.
Schmidt, C.W., et al. (2020). Dermal absorption of textile chemicals during wear.
Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 30(2), 287-295.
McKinsey & Company. (2024). The State of Fashion 2024: Navigating uncertainty.
McKinsey Global Fashion Index.
Global Wellness Institute. (2024). Global Wellness Economy Monitor. Miami:
Global Wellness Institute.
B. First-Mover Advantages in an Undefended Category
Unlike mature wellness categories with established leaders, clean fashion
remains wide open. Legacy brands carry the burden of existing supply
chains optimized for cost rather than health. New entrants can build with
clean materials and transparent processes from day one.
The infrastructure is also emerging: independent testing labs, certified
organic textile suppliers, and direct-to-consumer platforms that enable
radical transparency. What once required massive capital investment can
now be achieved through strategic partnerships and focused execution.
Most importantly, this isn't just about capturing market share, it's about
creating an entirely new category. The winner won't be the company that
makes the best synthetic clothes slightly less toxic, but the one that
redefines what clothing should be in an age of biological optimization.
Beyond Fashion: A Movement for Human Flourishing
Starting New Bloom was never about joining the fashion industry, but
about disrupting it from the outside. The question that sparked this
journey was simple:
If we scrutinize every supplement, every skincare ingredient, every food
additive, why do we give clothing a free pass to our bloodstream?
And, do we actually need so much stuff… and clothes?
This question led to a year of living without purchasing new clothes,
studying toxicology reports, and connecting with chemists, materials
scientists, and health researchers who confirmed what intuition suggested:
we're conducting a massive, uncontrolled experiment on human biology
through our wardrobes.
New Bloom exists because our generation deserves clothing that enhances
rather than compromises our health optimization efforts. We're building
the brand we needed as consumers, one that treats transparency as a
competitive advantage and human biology as the ultimate design
constraint.
This movement extends far beyond one company. We need materials
scientists developing safer alternatives, researchers studying long-term
exposure effects, regulators closing oversight gaps, and consumers
demanding better standards.
Most importantly, we need other entrepreneurs who see clean fashion not
as a niche market, but as essential infrastructure for human flourishing.
The clothes we wear today will determine the health outcomes we face
tomorrow. The choice is ours: continue the uncontrolled experiment, or
build the foundation for clothing that serves life rather than merely
covering it.
_____________________________________________________________
References
Leslie, H.A., et al. (2022). Discovery and quantification of plastic particles in human blood. Environment International, 163, 107199.
Blum, A., et al. (2021). PFAS in textiles: A source of concern for human exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129(4), 047001.
Schmidt, C.W., et al. (2020). Dermal absorption of textile chemicals during wear. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 30(2), 287-295.
McKinsey & Company. (2024). The State of Fashion 2024: Navigating uncertainty. McKinsey Global Fashion Index.
Global Wellness Institute. (2024). Global Wellness Economy Monitor. Miami: Global Wellness Institute.
By Romina Roman
By Romina Roman
The Fashion Health Manifesto
Whitepaper*
Author: Romina Roman
©2024
Redesigning
Apparel for
Human Health & Ecosystems
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the
world's largest unregulated
experiment on human biology.
Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals
flow through textile supply
chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-
resistance, phthalates for
flexibility, PFAS for stain-
proofing, heavy metals in dyes.
Unlike food or cosmetics, these
chemicals face minimal safety
testing before touching our
largest organ daily, our skin.
The health implications are
concerning. Textile workers show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness and reproductive
disorders. Recent studies detect
microplastics in human blood
and major organs, with synthetic
clothing among the suspected
sources. Endocrine disruptors in
fabric finishes interfere with
hormones at concentrations
measured in parts per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion
wellness economy obsesses over
organic supplements and filtered
water while ignoring what covers
90% of our bodies. We read
ingredient labels on face cream
but not on the shirt that touches
our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an
enormous shift. The same
consumers driving growth in
clean beauty and organic food are
beginning to question their
clothing choices. Clean fashion is
the missing protocol in the 21st
century's health optimization
stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic
clothing became a silent health
threat and presents the blueprint
for apparel designed as health
infrastructure. The apparel
industry's transformation from
mass production-first to a health-
first thinking is here.
The Hidden Crisis
A. Your Wardrobe Is a Chemical
Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment
International detected
microplastics in human blood for
the first time. The source wasn't
just food packaging and air
pollution, but also the polyester
and nylon touching our skin
daily. Each wash cycle of
synthetic clothing releases up to
728,000 microplastic fibers into
water systems, while friction
from wear releases particles
directly absorbed through our
skin.
The chemical burden extends far
beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS)
coat "performance" fabrics for
water-resistance and stain
protection. These endocrine
disruptors bioaccumulate in
fatty tissues and have been
linked to cancer, immune
dysfunction, and fertility
issues in studies published in
Environmental Health
Perspectives (2021).Textile dyes and finishes
contain formaldehyde, heavy
metals, and aromatic amines
that cross the skin barrier,
especially during heat
exposure and physical
activity. Research in the
Journal of Exposure Science
(2020) shows these chemicals
can be detected in urine
within hours of wearing
treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing
releases volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) that we
inhale throughout the day,
contributing to what
toxicologists call "body
burden", which is the total
accumulated chemical load
our systems must process.
Just as we now recognize the
dangers of lead paint and BPA
plastics, synthetic clothing
represents a massive,
unacknowledged exposure that's
only beginning to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer
Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted
environmental language while
ignoring human biology entirely.
A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic"
means little if it's bleached with
chlorine gas, treated with anti-
wrinkle formaldehyde, or
finished with synthetic softeners
containing quaternary
ammonium compounds.
Even more problematic is the rise
of "eco-friendly" recycled
polyester, which transforms
plastic bottles into leggings
without addressing the
fundamental issue: we're wearing
petrochemical waste against our
largest organ.
Current certifications focus on
environmental impact during
production but ignore toxicity
during the product's 2-3 year
lifespan against human skin. The
result is greenwashing that
distracts from the real urgency:
protecting human health.
Fashion as
Health
Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your
Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization
movement has revolutionized
how we think about inputs, from
organic food to filtered water to
pharmaceutical-grade
supplements. Yet even the most
health-conscious individuals
overlook the fabric covering 90%
of their body for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical
when we consider dermal
absorption rates. The skin is not a
barrier, it's a selective membrane.
Heat, friction, and moisture
dramatically increase absorption
of chemical compounds, meaning
your workout clothes during
exercise present the highest
exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the
same scrutiny we apply to
anything else entering our
biological systems: complete
ingredient transparency, third-
party testing for chemical
residues, and elimination of
known endocrine disruptors and
carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and
Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate
exposure through intimate
apparel often treated with
antimicrobial chemicals and
synthetic dyes in direct contact
with sensitive tissues. Children's
developing endocrine systems are
particularly susceptible to
hormone-disrupting compounds
found in school uniforms and
everyday clothing. While the
male underwear market is rules
by polyester, and testicles are
wrapped in plastic, having a
direct impact in sperm quality
and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles
remain far less regulated than
cosmetics or food. A lipstick
touching your lips for minutes
requires extensive safety testing,
while a shirt touching your torso
for hours faces minimal
oversight. This regulatory blind
spot has allowed the fashion
industry to operate as an
uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond
individual health. Textile workers
in manufacturing regions show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness, skin conditions, and
reproductive disorders, a preview
of what chronic exposure means
for the global population wearing
these products.
The Emergence
of Biowear
A. From Optimization to
Integration
The health optimization
movement has created the most
informed, data-driven consumer
base in history. Ice baths,
continuous glucose monitors, red
light therapy, and mitochondrial
supplements represent a culture
obsessed with biological
performance. Yet this same
demographic continues wearing
endocrine-disrupting synthetic
fabrics during their optimization
routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by
treating clothing as part of your
health stack, a wearable layer
designed for cellular harmony
rather.
By 2030, design schools will teach
"healthwear" as a fundamental
discipline. Just as nutrition labels
transformed food purchasing
decisions, textile ingredient
transparency will become the
minimum standard for
informed consumers. Brands that
ignore this shift will lose
relevance as quickly as food
companies that resisted organic
trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for
Fashion Health
This market transformation
requires new players with
different values. New Bloom
represents this shift.
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every
fabric undergoes third-party
testing for over 100 chemical
residues. We source certified
organic cotton, hemp, and
innovative materials like seaweed
fiber that offer natural
antimicrobial properties without
synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing:
Complete supply chain visibility
with published chemical test
results for every product. No
hidden finishes, no undisclosed
treatments, no proprietary blends
that could contain harmful
compounds.
Circular by Design: Products
engineered for 3-5x industry-
standard lifespan through
repairability and upgrade
programs. When garments
reach end-of-life, our take-back
program ensures responsible
disposal without environmental
contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the
future of functional clothing:
natural UV protection through
plant-based compounds,
temperature regulation via
phase-change materials derived
from renewable sources, and
embedded wellness features that
enhance rather than compromise
biological function.
The Economic
Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving
Transformation
Three converging trends make
clean fashion inevitable rather
than optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans
are accelerating globally. The
EU's REACH regulation now
restricts over 1,000 chemical
substances in textiles. California's
Safer Consumer Products
program targets textile chemicals
as priority concerns. Companies
that adapt early avoid costly
reformulation later.
Consumer Sophistication: The
same demographic driving
growth in organic food (+10.2%
CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9%
CAGR), and functional wellness
products (+12.4% CAGR) is
beginning to question clothing
ingredients. Our certainty is that
this isn't a niche, it's the
mainstream wellness market
expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement:
Advanced materials science now
offers viable alternatives to
synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers,
non-toxic dyes, and chemical-free
finishes are transitioning from
laboratory curiosities to
scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this
opportunity:
B. First-Mover Advantages in an
Undefended Category
Unlike mature wellness
categories with established
leaders, clean fashion remains
wide open. Legacy brands carry
the burden of existing supply
chains optimized for cost rather
than health. New entrants can
build with clean materials and
transparent processes from day
one.
The infrastructure is also
emerging: independent testing
labs, certified organic textile
suppliers, and direct-to-consumer
platforms that enable radical
transparency. What once
required massive capital
investment can now be achieved
through strategic partnerships
and focused execution.
Most importantly, this isn't just
about capturing market share, it's
about creating an entirely new
category. The winner won't be the
company that makes the best
synthetic clothes slightly less
toxic, but the one that redefines
what clothing should be in an age
of biological optimization.
Beyond Fashion:
A Movement for
Human
Flourishing
Starting New Bloom was never
about joining the fashion
industry, but disrupting it from
the outside. The question that
sparked this journey was simple:
If we scrutinize every
supplement, every skincare
ingredient, every food additive,
why do we give clothing a free
pass to our bloodstream?
And do we actually need so much
stuff and clothes?
This question led to a year of
living without purchasing new
clothes, studying toxicology
reports, and connecting with
chemists, materials scientists, and
health researchers who
confirmed what intuition
suggested: we're conducting a
massive, uncontrolled
experiment on human biology
through our wardrobes.
New Bloom exists because our
generation deserves clothing that
enhances rather than
compromises our health
optimization efforts. We're
building the brand we needed as
consumers, one that treats
transparency as a competitive
advantage and human biology as
the ultimate design constraint.
This movement extends far
beyond one company. We need
materials scientists developing
safer alternatives, researchers
studying long-term exposure
effects, regulators closing
oversight gaps, and consumers
demanding better standards.
Most importantly, we need other
entrepreneurs who see clean
fashion not as a niche market, but
as essential infrastructure for
human flourishing.
The clothes we wear today will
determine the health outcomes
we face tomorrow. The choice is
ours: continue the uncontrolled
experiment, or build the
foundation for clothing that
serves life rather than merely
covering it.
____________________________
References
Leslie, H.A., et al. (2022). Discovery and quantification of plastic particles in human blood. Environment International, 163, 107199.
Blum, A., et al. (2021). PFAS in textiles: A source of concern for human exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129(4), 047001.
Schmidt, C.W., et al. (2020). Dermal absorption of textile chemicals during wear. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 30(2), 287-295.
McKinsey & Company. (2024). The State of Fashion 2024: Navigating uncertainty. McKinsey Global Fashion Index.
Global Wellness Institute. (2024). Global Wellness Economy Monitor. Miami: Global Wellness Institute.
By Romina Roman
The Fashion Health Manifesto
Whitepaper*
Author: Romina Roman
©2024
Redesigning
Apparel for
Human Health
& Ecosystems
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the world's largest unregulated
experiment on human biology. Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals flow
through textile supply chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-resistance,
phthalates for flexibility, PFAS for stain-proofing, heavy metals in
dyes. Unlike food or cosmetics, these chemicals face minimal safety
testing before touching our largest organ daily,
our skin.
The health implications are concerning. Textile workers show
elevated rates of respiratory illness and reproductive disorders.
Recent studies detect microplastics in human blood and major
organs, with synthetic clothing among the suspected sources.
Endocrine disruptors in fabric finishes interfere with hormones at
concentrations measured in parts per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion wellness economy obsesses over organic
supplements and filtered water while ignoring what covers 90% of
our bodies. We read ingredient labels on face cream but not on the
shirt that touches our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an enormous shift. The same consumers
driving growth in clean beauty and organic food are beginning to
question their clothing choices. Clean fashion is the missing
protocol in the 21st century's health optimization stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic clothing became a silent health
threat and presents the blueprint for apparel designed as health
infrastructure. The apparel industry's transformation from mass
production-first to a health-first thinking is here.
The Hidden Crisis
A. Your Wardrobe Is a Chemical Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment International detected microplastics
in human blood for the first time. The source wasn't just food
packaging and air pollution, but also the polyester and nylon
touching our skin daily. Each wash cycle of synthetic clothing
releases up to 728,000 microplastic fibers into water systems, while
friction from wear releases particles directly absorbed through our
skin.
The chemical burden extends far beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS) coat "performance" fabrics for water
resistance and stain protection. These endocrine disruptors
bioaccumulate in fatty tissues and have been linked to cancer,
immune dysfunction, and fertility issues in studies published in
Environmental Health Perspectives (2021).Textile dyes and finishes contain formaldehyde, heavy metals,
and aromatic amines that cross the skin barrier, especially
during heat exposure and physical activity. Research in the
Journal of Exposure Science (2020) shows these chemicals can
be detected in urine within hours of wearing treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing releases volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) that we inhale throughout the day, contributing to what
toxicologists call "body burden", which is the total accumulatedchemical load our systems must process.
Just as we now recognize the dangers of lead paint and BPA plastics,
synthetic clothing represents a massive, unacknowledged exposure
that's only beginning to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer of Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted environmental language while
ignoring human biology entirely. A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic"
means little if it's bleached with chlorine gas, treated with anti-
wrinkle formaldehyde, or finished with synthetic softeners
containing quaternary ammonium compounds.
Even more problematic is the rise of "eco-friendly" recycled
polyester, which transforms plastic bottles into leggings without
addressing the fundamental issue: we're wearing petrochemical
waste against our largest organ.
Current certifications focus on environmental impact during
production but ignore toxicity during the product's 2-3 year lifespan
against human skin. The result is greenwashing that distracts from
the real urgency: protecting human health.
Fashion as Health Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization movement has revolutionized how
we think about inputs, from organic food to filtered water to
pharmaceutical-grade supplements. Yet even the most health-
conscious individuals overlook the fabric covering 90% of their body
for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical when we consider dermal
absorption rates. The skin is not a barrier, it's a selective membrane.
Heat, friction, and moisture dramatically increase absorption of
chemical compounds, meaning your workout clothes during
exercise present the highest exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the same scrutiny we apply to anything
else entering our biological systems: complete ingredient
transparency, third-party testing for chemical residues, and
elimination of known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate exposure through intimate apparel
often treated with antimicrobial chemicals and synthetic dyes in
direct contact with sensitive tissues. Children's developing
endocrine systems are particularly susceptible to hormone-
disrupting compounds found in school uniforms and everyday
clothing. While the male underwear market is ruled by polyester,
and testicles are wrapped in plastic, having a direct impact in sperm
quality and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles remain far less regulated than cosmetics
or food. A lipstick touching your lips for minutes requires extensive
safety testing, while a shirt touching your torso for hours faces
minimal oversight. This regulatory blind spot has allowed the
fashion industry to operate as an uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond individual health. Textile workers
in manufacturing regions show elevated rates of respiratory illness,
skin conditions, and reproductive disorders, a preview of what
chronic exposure means for the global population wearing these
products.
The Emergence of Biowear
A. From Optimization to Integration
The health optimization movement has created the most informed,
data-driven consumer base in history. Ice baths, continuous glucose
monitors, red light therapy, and mitochondrial supplements
represent a culture obsessed with biological performance. Yet this
same demographic continues wearing endocrine-disrupting
synthetic fabrics during their optimization routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by treating clothing as part of your health
stack.a wearable layer designed for cellular harmony rather than
fashion cycles. This isn't about adding another product category; it's
about completing the wellness ecosystem.
By 2030, design schools will teach "healthwear" as a fundamental
discipline. Just as nutrition labels transformed food purchasing
decisions, textile ingredient transparency will become the
minimum standard for informed consumers. Brands that ignore
this shift will lose relevance as quickly as food companies that
resisted organic trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for Fashion Health
This market transformation requires new players with different
values. New Bloom represents this shift
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every fabric undergoes third-party
testing for over 100 chemical residues. We source certified organic
cotton, hemp, and innovative materials like seaweed fiber that offer
natural antimicrobial properties without synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing: Complete supply chain visibility with
published chemical test results for every product. No hidden
finishes, no undisclosed treatments, no proprietary blends that
could contain harmful compounds.
Circular by Design: Products engineered for 3-5x industry-standard
lifespan through repairability and upgrade programs. When
garments reach end-of-life, our take-back program ensures
responsible disposal without environmental contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the future of functional clothing:
natural UV protection through plant-based compounds,
temperature regulation via phase-change materials derived from
renewable sources, and embedded wellness features that enhance
rather than compromise biological function.
The Economic Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving Transformation
Three converging trends make clean fashion inevitable rather than
optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans are accelerating globally. The EU's
REACH regulation now restricts over 1,000 chemical substances in
textiles. California's Safer Consumer Products program targets
textile chemicals as priority concerns. Companies that adapt early
avoid costly reformulation later.
Consumer Sophistication: The same demographic driving growth
in organic food (+10.2% CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9% CAGR), and
functional wellness products (+12.4% CAGR) is beginning to
question clothing ingredients. Our certainty is that this isn't a niche,
it's the mainstream wellness market expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement: Advanced materials science now offers
viable alternatives to synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers, non-toxic
dyes, and chemical-free finishes are transitioning from laboratory
curiosities to scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this opportunity:
September 23, 2024
Our wardrobes have become the
world's largest unregulated
experiment on human biology.
Over 8,000 synthetic chemicals
flow through textile supply
chains: formaldehyde for wrinkle-
resistance, phthalates for
flexibility, PFAS for stain-
proofing, heavy metals in dyes.
Unlike food or cosmetics, these
chemicals face minimal safety
testing before touching our
largest organ daily, our skin.
The health implications are
concerning. Textile workers show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness and reproductive
disorders. Recent studies detect
microplastics in human blood
and major organs, with synthetic
clothing among the suspected
sources. Endocrine disruptors in
fabric finishes interfere with
hormones at concentrations
measured in parts per billion.
Meanwhile, the $4.4 trillion
wellness economy obsesses over
organic supplements and filtered
water while ignoring what covers
90% of our bodies. We read
ingredient labels on face cream
but not on the shirt that touches
our torso for 16 hours straight.
This disconnect reveals an
enormous shift. The same
consumers driving growth in
clean beauty and organic food are
beginning to question their
clothing choices. Clean fashion is
the missing protocol in the 21st
century's health optimization
stack.
This paper exposes how synthetic
clothing became a silent health
threat and presents the blueprint
for apparel designed as health
infrastructure. The apparel
industry's transformation from
mass production-first to a health-
first thinking is here.
The Hidden Crisis
A. Your Wardrobe Is a Chemical
Exposure System
A 2022 study in Environment
International detected
microplastics in human blood for
the first time. The source wasn't
just food packaging and air
pollution, but also the polyester
and nylon touching our skin
daily. Each wash cycle of
synthetic clothing releases up to
728,000 microplastic fibers into
water systems, while friction
from wear releases particles
directly absorbed through our
skin.
The chemical burden extends far
beyond microplastics:
Forever chemicals (PFAS)
coat "performance" fabrics for
water-resistance and stain
protection. These endocrine
disruptors bioaccumulate in
fatty tissues and have been
linked to cancer, immune
dysfunction, and fertility
issues in studies published in
Environmental Health
Perspectives (2021).Textile dyes and finishes
contain formaldehyde, heavy
metals, and aromatic amines
that cross the skin barrier,
especially during heat
exposure and physical
activity. Research in the
Journal of Exposure Science
(2020) shows these chemicals
can be detected in urine
within hours of wearing
treated fabrics.Synthetic fabric off-gassing
releases volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) that we
inhale throughout the day,
contributing to what
toxicologists call "body
burden", which is the total
accumulated chemical load
our systems must process.
Just as we now recognize the
dangers of lead paint and BPA
plastics, synthetic clothing
represents a massive,
unacknowledged exposure that's
only beginning to be understood.
B. The Missing Layer
Sustainability
The fashion industry has co-opted
environmental language while
ignoring human biology entirely.
A cotton T-shirt labeled "organic"
means little if it's bleached with
chlorine gas, treated with anti-
wrinkle formaldehyde, or
finished with synthetic softeners
containing quaternary
ammonium compounds.
Even more problematic is the rise
of "eco-friendly" recycled
polyester, which transforms
plastic bottles into leggings
without addressing the
fundamental issue: we're wearing
petrochemical waste against our
largest organ.
Current certifications focus on
environmental impact during
production but ignore toxicity
during the product's 2-3 year
lifespan against human skin. The
result is greenwashing that
distracts from the real urgency:
protecting human health.
Fashion as
Health
Infrastructure
A. The Missing Protocol in Your
Wellness Stack
The modern health optimization
movement has revolutionized
how we think about inputs, from
organic food to filtered water to
pharmaceutical-grade
supplements. Yet even the most
health-conscious individuals
overlook the fabric covering 90%
of their body for 16+ hours daily.
This oversight becomes critical
when we consider dermal
absorption rates. The skin is not a
barrier, it's a selective membrane.
Heat, friction, and moisture
dramatically increase absorption
of chemical compounds, meaning
your workout clothes during
exercise present the highest
exposure risk.
True clean fashion requires the
same scrutiny we apply to
anything else entering our
biological systems: complete
ingredient transparency, third-
party testing for chemical
residues, and elimination of
known endocrine disruptors and
carcinogens.
B. Vulnerable Populations and
Regulatory Gaps
Women face disproportionate
exposure through intimate
apparel often treated with
antimicrobial chemicals and
synthetic dyes in direct contact
with sensitive tissues. Children's
developing endocrine systems are
particularly susceptible to
hormone-disrupting compounds
found in school uniforms and
everyday clothing. While the
male underwear market is rules
by polyester, and testicles are
wrapped in plastic, having a
direct impact in sperm quality
and quantity.
Despite this reality, textiles
remain far less regulated than
cosmetics or food. A lipstick
touching your lips for minutes
requires extensive safety testing,
while a shirt touching your torso
for hours faces minimal
oversight. This regulatory blind
spot has allowed the fashion
industry to operate as an
uncontrolled human experiment.
The consequences extend beyond
individual health. Textile workers
in manufacturing regions show
elevated rates of respiratory
illness, skin conditions, and
reproductive disorders, a preview
of what chronic exposure means
for the global population wearing
these products.
The Emergence
of Biowear
A. From Optimization to
Integration
The health optimization
movement has created the most
informed, data-driven consumer
base in history. Ice baths,
continuous glucose monitors, red
light therapy, and mitochondrial
supplements represent a culture
obsessed with biological
performance. Yet this same
demographic continues wearing
endocrine-disrupting synthetic
fabrics during their optimization
routines.
Biowear bridges this gap by
treating clothing as part of your
health stack, a wearable layer
designed for cellular harmony
rather.
By 2030, design schools will teach
"healthwear" as a fundamental
discipline. Just as nutrition labels
transformed food purchasing
decisions, textile ingredient
transparency will become the
minimum standard for
informed consumers. Brands that
ignore this shift will lose
relevance as quickly as food
companies that resisted organic
trends in the 1990s.
B. Building the Infrastructure for
Fashion Health
This market transformation
requires new players with
different values. New Bloom
represents this shift.
Our approach: The New Bloom Standard
Material-First Philosophy: Every
fabric undergoes third-party
testing for over 100 chemical
residues. We source certified
organic cotton, hemp, and
innovative materials like seaweed
fiber that offer natural
antimicrobial properties without
synthetic treatments.
Transparent Manufacturing:
Complete supply chain visibility
with published chemical test
results for every product. No
hidden finishes, no undisclosed
treatments, no proprietary blends
that could contain harmful
compounds.
Circular by Design: Products
engineered for 3-5x industry-
standard lifespan through
repairability and upgrade
programs. When garments
reach end-of-life, our take-back
program ensures responsible
disposal without environmental
contamination.
Our R&D pipeline explores the
future of functional clothing:
natural UV protection through
plant-based compounds,
temperature regulation via
phase-change materials derived
from renewable sources, and
embedded wellness features that
enhance rather than compromise
biological function.
The Economic
Inflection Point
A. Market Forces Driving
Transformation
Three converging trends make
clean fashion inevitable rather
than optional:
Regulatory Pressure: PFAS bans
are accelerating globally. The
EU's REACH regulation now
restricts over 1,000 chemical
substances in textiles. California's
Safer Consumer Products
program targets textile chemicals
as priority concerns. Companies
that adapt early avoid costly
reformulation later.
Consumer Sophistication: The
same demographic driving
growth in organic food (+10.2%
CAGR), clean beauty (+8.9%
CAGR), and functional wellness
products (+12.4% CAGR) is
beginning to question clothing
ingredients. Our certainty is that
this isn't a niche, it's the
mainstream wellness market
expanding into textiles.
Technology Enablement:
Advanced materials science now
offers viable alternatives to
synthetic fabrics. Bio-based fibers,
non-toxic dyes, and chemical-free
finishes are transitioning from
laboratory curiosities to
scalable solutions.
The numbers confirm this
opportunity:
B. First-Mover Advantages in an Undefended Category
Unlike mature wellness categories with established leaders, clean
fashion remains wide open. Legacy brands carry the burden of
existing supply chains optimized for cost rather than health. New
entrants can build with clean materials and transparent processes
from day one.
The infrastructure is also emerging: independent testing labs,
certified organic textile suppliers, and direct-to-consumer platforms
that enable radical transparency. What once required massive
capital investment can now be achieved through strategic
partnerships and focused execution.
Most importantly, this isn't just about capturing market share, it's
about creating an entirely new category. The winner won't be the
company that makes the best synthetic clothes slightly less toxic,
but the one that redefines what clothing should be in an age of
biological optimization.
Beyond Fashion: A Movement for Human Flourishing
Starting New Bloom was never about joining the fashion industry,
my intention disrupting it from the outside. The question that
sparked this journey was simple:
If we scrutinize every supplement, every skincare ingredient, every
food additive, why do we give clothing a free pass to our
bloodstream?
And, do we actually need so much stuff… and clothes?
This question led to a year of living without purchasing new clothes,
studying toxicology reports, and connecting with chemists,
materials scientists, and health researchers who confirmed what
intuition suggested: we're conducting a massive, uncontrolled
experiment on human biology through our wardrobes.
I also found out the average consumer wear 20% of their wardrobes
most of the their life, and some even say we have enough clothes in
the market to dress the next 6 generations. Over 70% of this supply
is made out of synthetic material. Conclusions that made me
question the whole state of the industry.
New Bloom exists because our generation deserves clothing that
enhances rather than compromises our health optimization efforts.
We're building the brand we needed as consumers, one that treats
transparency as a competitive advantage and human biology as the
ultimate design constraint.
This movement extends far beyond one company. We need
materials scientists developing safer alternatives, researchers
studying long-term exposure effects, regulators closing oversight
gaps, and consumers demanding better standards.
Most importantly, we need other entrepreneurs who see clean
fashion not as a niche market, but as essential infrastructure for
human flourishing.
The clothes we wear today will determine the health outcomes we
face tomorrow. The choice is ours: continue the uncontrolled
experiment, or build the foundation for clothing that serves life
rather than merely covering it.
________________________________________________________
References
Leslie, H.A., et al. (2022). Discovery and quantification of plastic particles in human blood. Environment International, 163, 107199.
Blum, A., et al. (2021). PFAS in textiles: A source of concern for human exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129(4), 047001.
Schmidt, C.W., et al. (2020). Dermal absorption of textile chemicals during wear. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 30(2), 287-295.
McKinsey & Company. (2024). The State of Fashion 2024: Navigating uncertainty. McKinsey Global Fashion Index.
Global Wellness Institute. (2024). Global Wellness Economy Monitor. Miami: Global Wellness Institute.
By Romina Roman