Last year Karen Blue reported on a new type of fabric spun from milk protein.  It has been touted as lightweight and eco-friendly, for its excellent biodegradable properties.  Unfortunately, it could cause a problem for milk allergy sufferers (especially those with external symptoms, such as eczema), or those who foresake milk for political, social, or religious reasons. At the time of writing, the fabric was still in the experimentation phase, and not found in your everyday shop due to its high price tag.  However, Karen recently discovered this milk protein-rich fabric in a very odd place, infant and child leggings.  Since milk protein is an allergenic substance for so many tots, this seemed like an odd place for the fabric to debut, but little urbanites decided to give this eco-friendly line a go. Karen's report on this included a family anecdote from her blog ...

"Background my allergic child does not like to wear socks, but she has to wear them in the fall and winter with shoes or boots when outside.

Child: Can you buy me socks made from milk?

Me: Why your feet might become itchy or develop a rash, and you might become sick?

Child: No Mom I am not allowed to have things with milk, and if my socks had milk in them, I would not have to wear socks.

Me: If you had socks with milk in them, they might cross contaminate with your other clothes.

Child: I’ll keep them in a separate area in my dresser and you can wash my milk socks in a separate load. Then I would not have to wear socks!

Me: You have to wear socks, and I am not doing extra work.

I am glad my child has a firm understanding about cross contamination. Here is a link to baby and children’s leggings, made from milk fiber. Clothes made out of milk fiber are more expensive, so the chances of accidentally buying some are unlikely!"

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