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Recent US studies have presented case series of patient with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) allegedly caused by formaldehyde in clothes treated with durable-press chemical finishes (DPCF), which are known formaldehyde releasers. However, the amounts of formaldehyde released by modern DPCF are thought to be well below the levels previously estimated to be able to elicit ACD. The objectives of this review are (i) to investigate whether clothes sold in the USA may contain enough free formaldehyde to elicit ACD in previously sensitized individuals and (ii) to assess the validity of US reports on ACD from formaldehyde in DPCF treated clothes. Literature was examined using various resources. The threshold level for formaldehyde in clothes that may cause ACD in sensitized individuals is unknown; we present data suggesting that levels < 200 ppm will be safe for most patients and that textiles will rarely contain higher amounts. All US studies presenting patients with ACD from formaldehyde in clothes had some weaknesses and in no report was the diagnosis proven beyond doubt. Currently, there is no definite proof that textile ACD from formaldehyde in DPCF in the USA exists. Future research should be directed at establishing the elicitation threshold and the amounts of formaldehyde present in textiles.

In this study, the comparative advantage of four countries in the world: Bangladesh, China, Germany and Turkey is analysed with respect to the US and the EU-15 textiles and clothing markets by employing Balassa's revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index for the period 2000-2010. This country selection was made because all these countries rank in the top ten textile and clothing exporters in the world and they represent economies from four different income levels. The results have revealed that Bangladesh, China and Turkey have a strong comparative advantage in both the textile and clothing markets of the world, the US and the EU-15, while Germany has no significant comparative advantage in any of these markets. The findings show that the Bangladesh clothing industry has a substantially higher comparative advantage in all three markets compared to the other countries. It has also been found that Turkish textiles show the strongest comparative advantage in all three markets, whereas the comparative advantage of Chinese textiles indicates a slightly increasing trend in all aforementioned markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hemp industry is emerging. In the last few years, it has been increasing greatly, especially in the realm of textiles. This is a worldwide move, with such shops as Minawear in the US, Braintree in Australia and Hempower in Italy. However, the actual growing and processing of hemp is still carried on mainly in China and Eastern Europe. Changes in the law and innovations in machinery are needed to bring hemp cultivation and processing to the rest of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]