Do not get scared. But it may be good for you to know that your clothes are full of oil. And also that chemical products cover your body. Take it easy! Unless you were an extremely radical person and got dressed with natural products only, like leaves and feathers (it may even fit you well, but only during Mardi Gras), it would be natural to have your clothes full of oil and be covered by chemical products. There would hardly be enough feathers and leaves for everyone.

Let us pick up the thread of the story. From the petroleum or natural gas naphta, the petrochemical industry manufactures several products like the ethyleneglycol, terephthalic acid, dimethylterephthalate, acrylonitrile, adiponitrile and caprolactam. These are the hard-to-pronounce products which originate the yarns and fibers of polyester, polyamide – better known as nylon, the acrylic fiber and the spandex. These fibers, when mixed with natural fibers like cotton and wool, or by themselves, will enable the production of better fabrics, with better strength, more elasticity, better drop and better shape retention.

The production of synthetic fibers is relatively recent but has created a revolution in the way we dress. Women’s hoses, for example, which mold and protect the legs, making them more insinuating without hiding them, are made with synthetic fibers. The soft touch of lingerie pieces is actually from synthetic fibers. Look at the clothes used for aerobics: they "stick" to the body, but they are strong and elastic, allowing total freedom of movements. Synthetic fibers respond for these qualities.

But it is not only in your clothes that you will find synthetic fibers. They are present in couches, carpets, tires, car upholstery, plush, and curtains and in many other articles. And this started with Chemistry that provides dyes and pigments, which impart the joyful, shining, opaque or neutral colors to the threads and yarns responsible for the creation of fashion.

Next time, therefore, do not get surprised when someone tells you that you have oil in your clothes. It is a natural fact of life today, thanks to Chemistry.

Text: Luiz Carlos de Medeiros (Mtb 12.293) English version by Joe Vianna (translat@mvpisp.com)