Occurrence and potential release of heavy metals in female underwear manufactured in China: Implication for women's health.

Underwear is a potential source of women's exposure to heavy metals owing to its direct contact with the skin, especially the skin of the vagina and vulva, which has a strong absorptive capacity. However, information regarding the prevalence of metals in female underwear, and its potential hazards, remains scarce. In the present study, we examined the concentrations and potential release of Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Sb, and Pb in brassieres and briefs manufactured in China. We detected higher levels of Pb and moderate levels of other metals, relative to the metal levels reported for other textiles in the literature. Cu, As, Ni and Cd, had higher migration rates (MRs) from the underwear, with medians of 100%, 100%, 30.1%, and 20.7%, respectively. The median MRs of the other metals were in the range 1.07%-15.7%. On the whole, the total and extractable concentrations of these metals differed by item and fabric type. The pollution of raw materials and the use of chemical additives containing metals commonly contributed to the metals in the underwear. On the basis of the exposure estimation, the non-carcinogenic risks posed by the underwear metals were acceptable, but the carcinogenic risks from the metals in 5.18% of brassiere samples exceeded the acceptable level.

A presença feminina nas indústrias de lingerie na cidade de Franca / The feminine presence in the female underwear industry in Franca

Dados recentes nos comprovam que as indústrias de lingerie têm apresentado considerável crescimento na cidade de Franca/SP, cuja história sempre se pautou pela indústria do calçado. Devido à crise no setor calçadista, sobretudo em razão da intensificação da concorrência com a indústria dos países asiáticos, muitas grandes fábricas de calçados foram fechadas e, com a dispensa de mão-de-obra, houve um processo de reorganização da estrutura fabril, protagonizado, em especial, por aqueles que buscavam nova inserção no mercado de trabalho. Diante deste quadro nasce uma nova vocação empresarial comandada basicamente por mulheres, e que está abrindo postos de trabalho para outras mulheres - a indústria de lingerie, que vem crescendo notoriamente. Partimos de um pressuposto inicial de que muitas destas mulheres, hoje à frente da incipiente indústria de lingerie, tiveram alguma experiência pregressa nas indústrias calçadistas, que empregam expressiva mão-de-obra feminina, sobretudo nos setores de apara e corte de couro, pintura e embalagem, sem contar os serviços do terceiro setor em que a presença feminina é, em qualquer circunstância, relevante. Já por estarem num ambiente econômico-industrial relacionado à moda, a transposição do calçado para a lingerie, em que pese as diferenças óbvias, representou para estas mulheres um reajuste em suas antigas qualificações como industriárias do calçado. Este estudo, em andamento, tem como fito levantar dados a respeito do histórico dessa incipiente indústria, e, através do relato dessas mulheres, conhecer suas trajetórias de vida e as experiências que trouxeram para essa nova realidade. Intenta também reconhecer quais foram as estratégias utilizadas para se reorganizarem nos espaços produtivos, que, em alguns casos é a própria casa, além de conhecer e identificar outras experiências que se articulam, no mundo do trabalho.

Recent data show that the female undewear industries in Franca/SP have presented considerable growth in that city which history has always been guided by the footwear industry. Due to the crisis in the footwear sector, especially intensified because of the competition with the industry in Asiatic countries, many major factories of shoes were closed, and with the exemption of labor, there was a process of reorganization of manufacturing structure, played in particular, by those who searched new insertion in the labor market. Facing this framework, a new vocation is born, basically controlled by women and creating jobs for other women - the underwear industry, which is growing sharply. We suppose that many of these women, ahead of today incipient industry of underwear, had some past experience in the shoe industries, which employ significant female workforce, mainly in the sectors of shavings and cutting of leather, painting and packaging, not counting the service of third sector where the presence of women is in any case, significant. We believe it because they are already in an economic-industrial environment related to fashion, so the transposition of the footwear to the underwear manufacturing, in spite of the obvious differences, represented for these women, a readjustment in their old skills used in the footwear industry. This paper ongoing, has the purpose of getting data about the history of this incipient industry, and through the report of these women know their trajectories of life and experiences they have brought to this new reality. It also intends to recognize which were the strategies they used to reorganize themselves in productive spaces, which are, in some cases their homes. In addition, it wants to know and identify other experiences that are articulated in the world of work.