When it comes to fashion documentaries, the critical ones are few and far between. In fact, Vogue’s list of 28 must-see fashion documentaries only includes one that really uncovers fashion’s polluting nature (The True Cost, 2015). So when I was invited to preview Let Them Be Naked: A Global Journey into Toxic Fashion, I was thrilled to hear we had an up-to-date documentary uncovering fashion’s dirty secrets. In particular, the rampant use of toxic and often harmful chemicals used in the production of our everyday clothing. Here are my thoughts on the film, and whether you should see it.
Let Them Be Naked: Film Review
Uncovering The Toxic Nature of Fashion
Let Them Be Naked follows fashion designer and activist Jeff Garner on his quest to discover whether there is a link between the clothes we wear, and the development of modern-day illnesses, ranging from skin allergies through to cancer. Early on, Jeff shares the loss of his mother and daughter, and through this vulnerable lens we watch him travel the world to better understand how our clothes are conventionally made using toxic dyes, and how he can instead create his couture designs using plant-based dyes and ancient techniques.
You may not know this, but the fashion industry is well aware of the toxic chemicals it uses to make our clothes. Since 2011, environmental charity Greenpeace has been campaigning to stop fashion brands and retailers from using hazardous chemicals. The 2016 film Riverblue documents the tail-end of this campaign, and shows how the most everyday garment – a humble pair of jeans – is causing global health crises due to water pollution. Now, in 2024, Let Them Be Naked provides an update on this, and reflects the continued use of known carcinogens as well as microplastics and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals).
Exploring The Link Between Fashion & Health
One area that Let Them Be Naked builds on is the connection between fashion and health. In Indonesia, Jeff has a sample of local water tested, where it’s found to include 10x the legal limit of mercury. In France, he speaks with Dr. Ana Soto, who questions why there is public outrage at the use of BPA (bisphenol A) in plastic bottles, but not in our clothes.
Unlike previous sustainable fashion documentaries, Let Them Be Naked is unafraid to draw a connection between what we wear and how it affects our bodies. At one point, a comparison is drawn between nicotine patches and polyester clothing. Put simply, isn’t our body absorbing whatever we put on it?
This is where I wish the documentary really built a sturdier scientific foundation for this argument. Instead, it takes a wobbly route, where Jeff speaks with presenter Darin Olien, who has been accused of promoting pseudoscience, as well as multiple plaintiffs who have tried – and failed – to prove that airline uniforms and Victoria’s Secrets bras caused illness. While I don’t disagree with what they’re saying, including unproven cases ends up muddying the waters (pun intended).
What You Should Take Away From This Film
This is why I have to warn you: Let Them Be Naked is a film you need to watch critically. Personally, I didn’t agree with some of the ideas floated in the film. Ironically, there are underlying currents of toxic masculinity, and the mix between proven theory vs. personal opinion is done so carelessly that often it is hard to discern which is which. I also felt there was a distinct lack of representation from the communities who make our clothes; instead, we were shown endless results from scientific labs and accounts from Western people who were wearing the clothes, not making them.
However, there are some salient points to take away from this film. First, choose natural fibres over synthetic. It’s often said, but actually a lot harder to do. Much of our clothing these days is made from a mixture of natural and synthetic fibres, often for cost-saving practices. This is not good for the environment, for our health, and for the pollution it causes at the end of a garment’s life. (Blended materials are currently impossible to recycle.) By choosing natural fibres and monomaterial garments, we can alleviate a lot of the issues raised in this film.
Second, we need more transparency around the way our clothes are made. And not just who makes our clothes, but how our clothes are made. When I researched sustainable leather, I found that chrome tanning – a widely used practice – is considered so hazardous that tannery workers are likely to be at risk of death due to their work. This is simply unacceptable.
Finally: toxic chemicals should be banned from being used in fashion, full stop. It’s unnecessary. No-one should die for fashion: not workers; not wearers. As a first port of call, the film proffers eco-friendly cleaning products, but I wish it gave further instruction as how to actively call for better.
My Overall Rating: 6/10
If you wear clothes, it’s important to understand where they came from, what they’re made from, who makes them, and now, what chemicals are used to treat them. Let Them Be Naked shines a light on that final aspect, and brings us up-to-date on issues such as BPA and PFAS. However, the film itself offers a lot of research and opinions, without many concrete conclusions.
Unless you’re able to afford Jeff Garner’s couture, you could be left feeling a little stranded as to what to do with the information presented. The film comes from a place of good intention, but is hindered by individualism and privilege. I would love to see more in the way of representation, community, and activism, to better support the film’s overall message.
Let Them Be Naked is to be released soon. Find a screening: letthembenaked.com
