E105. Toxic Textiles: How to Choose Safer Fabrics for a Healthier Home

Your clothing, curtains, and couch might be exposing you to toxic chemicals—and you probably have no idea.

In this eye-opening episode of Practical Nontoxic Living, Sophia Ruan Gushée speaks with Patty Grossman, co-founder of Two Sisters Ecotextiles, to reveal what’s hiding in the fabrics you use every day—and how to choose safer alternatives for a healthier home.

💥 Here’s a shocking fact: Experts say that fabrics are, by weight, up to 25% chemicals—many of which can leach into your air and onto your skin.

From natural vs. synthetic fibers to the importance of certifications like GOTS and Oeko-Tex, this episode gives you the tools to shop smarter, reduce toxic exposures, and detox your home from the inside out.

🎧 You’ll learn:

• What toxins hide in conventional textiles

• How to prioritize safer fabrics for furniture, bedding, and clothing

• Why linen and hemp outperform cotton in sustainability and safety

• How dyes, finishes, and fabric treatments impact your health

• Budget-friendly swaps—including used furniture and natural fibers

Whether you’re buying a new sofa or simply want to breathe easier, this conversation will change how you think about textiles—and empower you to take control of your environment.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Household Repeat Offenders: Practical Nontoxic Living podcast episode 84 "Household Repeat Offenders: The Simplest Way to Reduce Toxic Chemicals, Heavy Metals, EMFs & Stress"
• Listen to Deborah DiMaire, who recommended that Sophia speak to Patty Grossman, on Practical Nontoxic Living podcast episode 94 "Healing Spaces: How Nontoxic Interior Design Can Transform Your Health with Deborah DiMare
• Ruan Living's D-Tox Academy

ABOUT PATTY GROSSMAN

Patty Grossman is a textile industry changemaker on a mission to detox the fabrics we live with every day. A graduate of Smith College and MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Patty brings a rare combination of intellectual rigor, business savvy, and environmental passion to her work. After learning how conventional textiles are saturated with toxic chemicals from her sister, Leigh Anne, both Patty and her sister co-founded Two Sisters Ecotextiles, a pioneering company that creates safe, sustainable, and stylish fabrics for homes and businesses. Her story—from elite business training to fabric detox warrior—is as surprising as it is inspiring, and her expertise is essential for anyone seeking a truly healthier home. Learn more here: Two Sisters Ecotextiles

ABOUT RUAN LIVING

Grounded in the philosophy of Practical Nontoxic Living™, Ruan Living offers flexible ways for you to craft your Ultimate Home Detox™ to help you elevate your health and well-being—one thoughtful choice at a time. Specifically, we're zoned in on environmental influences—easy ones you can control—that can optimize your, and your intergenerational, healthspan and epigenetics through Practical Nontoxic Living™.

Rooted in mindfulness over perfection, we guide you with empowering insights to detox your home and body of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, radiation, and stress. Ruan Living offers books, online programs, customized support, and free resources to help you create a home and lifestyle that nurtures healing and thriving. Learn more at www.ruanliving.com.

ABOUT SOPHIA RUAN GUSHEE

Sophia Ruan Gushée is the founder of Ruan Living and author of the critically acclaimed bestselling book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures. Throughout her suite of Ruan Living Offerings, the diversity of Home detox paths that she has created are designed to welcome you to craft your Ultimate Home Detox™—rooted in the philosophy of Practical Nontoxic Living™, which protects your joy and convenience while guiding you to avoid toxicity. Learn more about Sophia here: Sophia Ruan Gushée.