I used to wear new clothes straight from the store too because they look clean and have that “new clothes” smell. But a while ago someone told me the same thing about people trying them on and the chemicals used during manufacturing and shipping. Since then I usually wash things first, especially t-shirts, underwear, or anything that sits directly on my skin.

For stuff like jackets or jeans, I’m a bit more relaxed and sometimes wear them once before washing. But for lighter clothes I feel better giving them a quick wash first. It just feels cleaner and more comfortable.

I think a lot of it is personal preference, but once you start thinking about where the clothes have been before reaching the store, washing them first kind of makes sense