To Dye For by Alden Wicker Summary
Overview of To Dye For
"To Dye For" exposes fashion's toxic secret - how chemicals in our clothes trigger autoimmune diseases and infertility. Praised by Elizabeth Cline as "intrepid," this eye-opening investigation has flight attendants questioning their uniforms and consumers rethinking every purchase. Your closet might be killing you.
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The Toxic Threads Woven Into Our Daily Lives
Picture this: A woman living in the Arizona desert, isolated from society, slowly dying from chemical sensitivity. "My life was ruined... My liver is damaged, my heart is damaged," she whispers. She's one of hundreds of Alaska Airlines flight attendants who fell mysteriously ill after receiving new uniforms in 2011. Their story isn't unique-thousands across multiple airlines have suffered similar fates. While we scrutinize ingredients in our food, cosmetics, and cleaning products, we rarely question what touches our skin all day, every day. Could the clothes we wear be slowly poisoning us? This $2.5 trillion industry has operated with shocking chemical freedom, wrapping our bodies in substances that would never be permitted in other consumer products. John's health collapsed days after receiving Alaska Airlines' new polyester-wool uniform in December 2010. Severe rashes and breathing difficulties sent him to the emergency room with a $4,900 bill and a misdiagnosis of bedbug bites. By February 2011, industrial hygienist Judith Anderson was tracking an alarming pattern of flight attendants reporting identical symptoms. Testing revealed ninety-seven chemical compounds in the uniforms, including lead, arsenic, cobalt, antimony, restricted dyes, toluene, and carcinogenic hexavalent chromium. What Anderson discovered was shocking: outside California, virtually no legally enforceable standards exist limiting chemicals in adult clothing. The industry operates on voluntary guidelines with limits rarely based on actual research-often just arbitrary guesses or industry "best practices." Though individual chemicals might test below irritation thresholds, their combined "additive effect" creates unpredictable impacts.
The Hidden Chemistry of Our Second Skin
Fashion's Toxic Legacy Through History
The Modern Chemical Cocktail in Clothing
The Fertility Crisis and Endocrine Disruption
When Bodies Rebel: Chemical Sensitivity and Immune Response
Protecting Yourself in a Toxic Fashion World
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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