From the Wove Team

The Wove Blog

Guides on fabric composition, clothing care, certifications, and how to build a wardrobe you can feel good about.

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Illustration for: Do Fleece Jackets Shed Microplastics?
Microplastics
Do Fleece Jackets Shed Microplastics?
Yes — and significantly. Fleece is one of the highest-shedding fabric types in common use. A single wash of a fleece jacket can release hundreds of thousands of…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: How to Choose Safer Everyday Basics
Shopping Guide
How to Choose Safer Everyday Basics
T-shirts, underwear, socks, and base layers are the clothing we're in contact with most — against skin, all day, washed frequently. They're also the easiest cat…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
PFAS & Chemicals

Forever chemicals in clothing

What they are, which brands use them, and how to avoid them.

PFAS in activewear — leggings, sports bras and workout clothes
Fabric Safety
PFAS in Activewear: Leggings, Sports Bras & Workout Clothes
Why PFAS show up in workout clothes, which categories carry the most risk, what testing has found, and how to choose safer pieces.
By Emily Hemphill · 16 min read
PFAS in your clothing
Chemical Safety
PFAS in Clothing: What It Is and How to Avoid It
A guide to forever chemicals in apparel — where they hide in rain jackets, activewear, and school uniforms, how to spot them on a label, and what safer alternatives look like.
By Emily Hemphill · 14 min read
What brands use PFAS in clothing — brand scorecard guide
Fabric Safety
What Brands Use PFAS in Clothing? An Evidence-Based Guide
Which brands have shown up in independent PFAS testing, which have committed to phase the chemicals out, and how to verify any brand's current status before you buy.
By Emily Hemphill · 18 min read
PFAS-free rain jackets 2026 shopping guide
Shopping Guide
PFAS-Free Rain Jackets: 2026 Shopping Guide
20+ verified brands from technical alpine shells to kids' rain gear, with certifications and questions to verify each one before you buy.
By Emily Hemphill · 22 min read
Illustration for: PFAS in Performance Fabrics: What to Know Before You Buy
PFAS & Fabric Safety
PFAS in Performance Fabrics: What to Know Before You Buy
Performance fabrics promise a lot: sweat-wicking, quick-dry, odor-resistant, stain-resistant. Some of those features come from clever fiber engineering. Others …
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: How to Spot PFAS in Product Descriptions Before You Buy
PFAS & Fabric Safety
How to Spot PFAS in Product Descriptions Before You Buy
Product pages are written to sell — not to disclose every chemical treatment applied to a garment. Learning to read between the lines can save you from unknowin…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Are Quick-Dry Swimwear and Clothes PFAS-Free?
PFAS & Fabric Safety
Are Quick-Dry Swimwear and Clothes PFAS-Free?
"Quick-dry" appears on swimwear, athletic wear, travel clothing, and outdoor gear. It's one of those claims that sounds purely functional — but it can come from…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: PFAS Clothing Laws by State: What Shoppers Should Know
PFAS & Fabric Safety
PFAS Clothing Laws by State: What Shoppers Should Know
Legislation restricting PFAS in consumer products has been moving quickly — and clothing is increasingly in scope. If you've been wondering whether the jacket o…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Why Quick-Dry Swimwear Isn't Always PFAS-Free
PFAS & Fabric Safety
Why Quick-Dry Swimwear Isn't Always PFAS-Free
Quick-dry swimwear is everywhere — and it sounds like a straightforward convenience feature. But "quick-dry" on a swimwear label doesn't always mean w…
By Emily Hemphill·June 2026
Illustration for: Non-Toxic Swimwear: What to Look for Before You Buy
PFAS & Fabric Safety
Non-Toxic Swimwear: What to Look for Before You Buy
Swimwear is a category where fabric and finish choices matter more than most. You're wearing it against skin, often for hours, in environments that can accelera…
By Emily Hemphill·June 2026
Fabric Guides

Understanding what's in your clothes

Labels, fibers, certifications, and what they actually mean.

How to read a clothing label
Fabric Guide
How to Read Clothing Labels: A Complete Guide to Fabrics, Care, and Quality
The tiny tag in your clothes is the closest thing to a nutrition label your wardrobe has. Here's how to actually read it — fiber composition, care symbols, certifications, and red flags.
By Emily Hemphill · 12 min read
The organic cotton guide
Fabric Guide
The Complete Guide to Organic Cotton
What organic cotton actually is, how it differs from conventional cotton, what the certifications mean (GOTS, OCS, OEKO-TEX), and how to shop without getting greenwashed.
By Emily Hemphill · 13 min read
Microplastics in your laundry
Materials
Microplastics in Clothing: A Beginner's Guide
What microplastic fibers are, which fabrics shed them (acrylic and fleece polyester are the worst), and practical ways to reduce how much your wardrobe contributes.
By Emily Hemphill · 13 min read
Illustration for: Sustainable Fabric Blends Explained: What Shoppers Should Know
Fabric Guide
Sustainable Fabric Blends Explained: What Shoppers Should Know
Most garments are blends of two or more fibers. The question is whether that blend serves you — adding durability, stretch, or performance — or whether it's pri…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: What Makes a Fabric Non-Toxic?
Fabric Guide
What Makes a Fabric Non-Toxic?
"Non-toxic" is a term that appears on clothing labels and brand websites with increasing frequency — but it's not a regulated claim, and it can mean very differ…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: Best Fabrics for Sensitive Skin
Fabric Guide
Best Fabrics for Sensitive Skin
If certain clothing makes your skin itch, flush, or break out, you're not imagining it. The fiber content, fabric finish, and dye chemistry of clothing can all …
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Best Breathable Fabrics for Comfort and Everyday Wear
Fabric Guide
Best Breathable Fabrics for Comfort and Everyday Wear
Breathability is one of those clothing qualities you notice most when it's missing — that trapped, overheated feeling in a fabric that won't let air through. He…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Linen vs Cotton vs Hemp: Which Is Best for Summer?
Fabric Guide
Linen vs Cotton vs Hemp: Which Is Best for Summer?
All three are plant-based natural fibers with long track records in summer clothing. They each have real differences in how they breathe, feel, hold up, and int…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Best Low-Tox Summer Fabrics for Hot Days
Fabric Guide
Best Low-Tox Summer Fabrics for Hot Days
Summer is actually the easiest season to wear lower-concern fabrics — natural fibers like linen, cotton, and hemp are perfectly suited to heat, breathe better t…
By Emily Hemphill·June 2026
Illustration for: Best Summer Fabrics for Staying Cool Without Overheating
Fabric Guide
Best Summer Fabrics for Staying Cool Without Overheating
If you've ever stepped outside in a polyester shirt on a humid day and immediately regretted it, you already understand why fabric choice matters in s…
By Emily Hemphill·June 2026
Microplastics

Microfibers, shedding & laundry

Which fabrics shed the most, how washing affects it, and what you can do.

Illustration for: Do Fleece Jackets Shed Microplastics?
Microplastics
Do Fleece Jackets Shed Microplastics?
Yes — and significantly. Fleece is one of the highest-shedding fabric types in common use. A single wash of a fleece jacket can release hundreds of thousands of…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: How to Reduce Microplastics From Your Laundry
Microplastics
How to Reduce Microplastics From Your Laundry
Household laundry is one of the most significant pathways for microplastics to enter water systems. Synthetic fabrics shed tiny fibers with every wash, and stan…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026
Illustration for: Best Workout Clothes for Less Microfiber Shedding
Microplastics
Best Workout Clothes for Less Microfiber Shedding
Activewear is washed after almost every use — which means it has more total wash cycles than most other items in your wardrobe, and sheds more cumulative microp…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: How Fabric Construction Affects Microfiber Shedding
Microplastics
How Fabric Construction Affects Microfiber Shedding
Most conversations about microplastic shedding focus on fiber type — polyester vs. cotton, synthetic vs. natural. But construction matters too. Two polyester ga…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Fabrics That Don't Shed Microplastics as Easily
Microplastics
Fabrics That Don't Shed Microplastics as Easily
Not all fabrics shed the same. Some synthetic fabrics are higher shedders by construction; some natural fabrics shed almost no plastic at all. Understanding the…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Illustration for: Do Leggings Release Microplastics?
Microplastics
Do Leggings Release Microplastics?
Most leggings are made from polyester or nylon — synthetic fibers that shed microplastic particles with every wash. If you wear leggings regularly, this is wort…
By Emily Hemphill·July 2026
Non-Toxic Shopping

Building a safer wardrobe

Practical buying guides for the items closest to your body.

Non-toxic basics
Wardrobe
Non-Toxic Basics: A Buyer's Guide to Underwear, Bras & Base Layers
The categories closest to your skin — what "non-toxic" actually means here, which materials and certifications hold up, and how to shop without the marketing fog.
By Emily Hemphill · 11 min read
PFAS-free rain jackets 2026 shopping guide
Shopping Guide
PFAS-Free Rain Jackets: 2026 Shopping Guide
20+ verified brands from technical alpine shells to kids' rain gear — curated, fact-checked, and organized by how you actually shop.
By Emily Hemphill · 22 min read
Illustration for: How to Choose Safer Everyday Basics
Shopping Guide
How to Choose Safer Everyday Basics
T-shirts, underwear, socks, and base layers are the clothing we're in contact with most — against skin, all day, washed frequently. They're also the easiest cat…
By Emily Hemphill·August 2026