Welcome to Day 1 of our 10 days of non-toxic living tips to start a less toxic new year!

Our hope is that you incorporate these super easy tips into your everyday routine all year long!   We promise these tips are easy to follow and will help reduce your family's exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.  Because, when it comes to the short and long term effects of chemical exposure, every single little change can make a positive impact!

Let us know what you think about our tips in our comments or Instagram or Facebook pages!  We love to hear back from our readers!

TIP 1:  Monday, January 4

Did some shopping over the holidays? Make sure you wash that new clothes!

WHY?

Various chemicals are commonly placed on new clothings. Among them:

• Dyes and formaldehyde resin: used in pigments and to prevent cotton polyester blends from wrinkling and limit mildew, these can contribute to sometimes severe (similar to poison ivy) allergies and are often found in new clothes

• C8 and similar chemicals: Found in water proof clothing/jackets, it has been linked to cancer, liver malfunction, hypothyroidism, obesity, ulcerative colitis and decreased immune response to vaccines in children.

• Antimony: a metal, can be found in certain pigments and is sometimes used as flame retardants in textiles.It has been found in baby bibs and clothing.According to EWG chronic exposure can cause lung damage, skin irritation and stomach problems and has been linked to reproductive problems.

Need another excuse?

Lice can also sometimes hang around new clothes (from an infected person trying on the new piece of clothing).   EEEWWW

For infants and babies (and even adults), buying organic clothing is always a good option and, although you should still always be washed for hygiene reasons,  assures you are exposed to less chemicals!

See you tomorrow for TIP 2 of our 10 Days of Non-Toxic Living 2016 tomorrow!!