Clothing is one of the fastest growing sources of environmental contamination globally due to the rapid rise of fast fashion and the increased use of synthetic fibres. A vast range of chemicals, many of which are recognized as hazardous are used in the manufacture of clothes and often with limited regulatory oversight. These chemicals can be present in clothes either as residues from the manufacturing process, or as additives to impart functionality. The health risk posed by chemicals in clothing has not been well characterised. People are exposed to chemicals in clothing through ingestion and inhalation of fibres as well as dermal contact. Beyond potential health risks to the wearer, chemicals in clothing may pose risks to ecosystems. When clothes are laundered, manufacturing chemicals can be released into wastewater and subsequently be discharged in effluents and biosolids. Disposal of clothing can have significant environmental impacts. Unwanted clothing is often exported in large volumes to less developed nations where uncontrolled disposal can lead to widespread contamination. Aotearoa | New Zealand imports the majority of clothing sold domestically, and the associated imported chemical burden is not known. To address this knowledge gap, commercially available sportswear and reusable period wear were analysed for a suite of trace elements and antimicrobial compounds. We investigated the impacts of washing on target analytes and measured their release into a surrogate sweat solution. A risk assessment for the presence of trace elements and antimicrobial compounds in clothing will be presented.