United States: A new study has found that some period pants sold by high-street retailers contain high levels of silver, which may have health and environmental implications. Silver is used as an antimicrobial agent and is usually used in period pants to combat smells and ensure hygiene.
The US Food and Drug Administration found that nanosilver can kill lactobacillus, the healthy bacteria in the vagina that help fight off infection. This can eventually result in a higher risk of harmful bacteria, leading to an increased risk of bacterial infections and pregnancy complications.
Ms. Natalie Hitchins, the head of home products and services at Which?, commented that consumers should be cautious when buying period pants that contain silver, as experts have concerns about the health implications.”
“Which? believes brands should also clearly state which products contain silver so shoppers can make informed decisions about what they are buying and the possible risks,” Ms. Hitchins added.
The consumer rights group worked with an Italian consumer organization, Altroconsumo, to assess popular brands and check if they contained any chemicals of concern. The analysis found that some products contained significant levels of silver, and this was not always made clear on the packaging.
Intima by Bodyform and pants by Marks & Spencer in particular contained notably more silver than other brands, at 126.7 mg/kg and 57.8 mg/kg, respectively. Other brands contained 8.3 mg/kg, 7.4 mg/kg, and 0.9 mg/kg.
Essity, the owner of Bodyform and Modibodi, stated that silver copper zeolite was used to “prevent odor when wearing the pants for up to 12 hours”. It added that all of its “washable underwear is certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, which means that every single component has been tested for harmful substances” and “that the underwear has been designated as harmless for human health”.
Which? remarked that it believed the use of silver was unnecessary and that previous testing by Altroconsumo had proved that textile items treated in this way did not have the promised antimicrobial properties.
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