New Insect Shield Clothing… Worth it?
October 3rd, 2011 Posted in Mosquitoes & RepellentSince 2003, special clothing lines have advertised themselves as being the alternative to bug spray and repellent. “Buzz Off” and “Insect Shield” are unique brands that feature themselves as being an insect shield.
This insect-repellent clothing is made with permethrin, a synthetic version of a natural chemical pyethrum, which comes from chrysanthemum flowers. Chrysanthemums naturally deter insects. The permethrin actually does more than just “repel” the insects, and in most cases kills them. This chemical is woven into the fibers of the fabric.
Although the idea of insect-shield clothing is great, there are some cons to substituting the special clothing for repellent. Most of the articles of clothing are t-shirts, cargo pants, bandanas or hoodies. There is a limited selection and, not to mention, style!
Also the clothing leaves a good bit of skin uncovered and available to mosquitoes and ticks. If you wear the insect repellent shorts, won’t your legs still be bit up?
The U.S. Army was reportedly using insect shield uniforms, but it has yet to be shown to reduce the amount of mosquito-born illness.
Another downside to the clothing line is the price you pay for the amount of times you can wear the clothing. The tag says you can wash from 25-75 times before it becomes ineffective (that’s a very broad range!) But the truth is, every time you wash the piece of clothing, a little bit more of the permethrin washes out. So it becomes less and less effective every time you wash.
One other concern users of insect shield clothing have is that the permethrin is in contact with the skin and wil
l eventually leak out. Permethrin has potential side effects, such as nausea, shortness of breath, migraines, seizures and more. Permethrin is also toxic to cats so if you have pets, you’ll have to be careful when you wear the brand and where you store it.
When it comes to outdoor sports and activities, I’m sticking with EcoSMART. EcoSMART’s insect repellent is made from all organic plant oils and completely safe for the entire family (and cat)!
Written by Nicole Paladin
1 Comment | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Jayne Chandler on Oct 17, 2011
I can’t afford a second wardrobe for insect defense. I rather use EcoSmart and stay relatively free of insect bites. Problem is the yard sprays need to be reapplied after rain, which means in a Summer like this has been, I’d go thru an awful lot of spray. Is it worth it?