This Mother’s Day weekend, a powerful documentary titled Let Them Be Naked will stream globally for the first time, not as a marketing stunt, but as a heartfelt tribute. Filmmaker and sustainable designer Jeff Garner created the film after losing his mother to breast cancer. This tragedy drove him to investigate whether the fashion industry might be poisoning us through our wardrobes.
With support from Earth Conscious Life and environmental advocate Suzy Amis Cameron, the documentary reveals what many sustainability advocates have suspected for years: that some of the fabrics and chemicals used in clothing may pose real health risks, especially to women’s health.
At Notorious Mag, this subject hits close to home. My mother died of colon cancer, and my sister, a devoted mother of two, passed away from breast cancer. So when a documentary like this comes along, connecting personal loss with potential systemic failures in an industry we write about every day, we take it seriously.
Peggy Lynn Garner with Jeff and sister Melissa – wearing clothing designed by Peggy
The Toxic Truth Behind Everyday Clothes
Garner’s journey began in grief, but quickly turned into a mission. His mother, who made his childhood clothes by hand, passed away in 2019. That loss inspired him to question what we’re really putting on our skin every day, especially in intimate garments like bras, underwear, leggings, and sportswear.
In Let Them Be Naked, he explores the chemical cocktails used in modern textile production, including substances like benzothiazole, formaldehyde, azo dyes, phthalates, PFAS, and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals. One cited 2018 study by Swedish and Italian researchers found that benzothiazole can migrate from textiles into the body via the skin, especially when combined with heat, sweat, and friction — everyday conditions for anyone wearing clothing.
“No mother should suffer from the unknown carcinogenic toxins found in their bra or underwear,” says Garner. “We need to create real and lasting change.”
The Science: What Do We Know?
While the film makes a strong emotional case, it also draws on growing — but still emerging — scientific evidence. Many of the chemicals used in clothing are already under scrutiny by health organisations, including the EU and the UN. A 2023 UN report warned that unless we “accelerate action,” the fashion industry’s toxic waste and chemical use will not only harm the planet but also pose risks to human health.
However, it’s important to be clear: no large-scale, conclusive study has directly linked clothing chemicals to breast cancer specifically. What we do have are laboratory studies showing that certain textile chemicals:
- Disrupt hormone activity
- Are absorbed through the skin in certain conditions
- Are associated with higher risks of hormone-related cancers
In other words, we’re looking at a slow-burning risk, one that’s cumulative and largely unregulated. And that’s exactly what Let Them Be Naked wants to change.
So, Should You Worry About Your Clothes?
The fashion industry — especially fast fashion — often uses cheap synthetic materials, chemical dye processes, and toxic finishes like wrinkle resistance or stain protection. And because clothing regulation is far less strict than for food or skincare, we often have no idea what’s in our clothes.
Garner has long championed plant-based dyes and natural fibres, growing many of his materials on his farm in Tennessee. His documentary is part personal journey, part industry exposé, and part call to action — pushing for greater transparency, consumer awareness, and legislative reform.
How to Shop Safer
While we wait for fashion to clean up its act, here are some steps consumers can take:
- Choose natural fibres like organic cotton, hemp, and linen
- Avoid clothes labelled “wrinkle-free” or “stain-resistant” — they often contain formaldehyde or PFAS
- Wash new clothes before wearing
- Support brands that disclose their chemical usage and certifications (look for Oeko-Tex or GOTS)
How to Watch ‘Let Them Be Naked’
Let Them Be Naked will stream online for free from May 8–11 at
👉 www.letthembenaked.com
The preview is a tribute to mothers everywhere — and especially to Garner’s own. It’s a wake-up call that while fashion may be about aesthetics, it can’t ignore ethics, safety, or the real-world impact on human lives.