Can I rely on the salesperson (or the owner) if he tells me the item has no shatnez? And other questions

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

What is shatnez?

Shatnez is the name of the strict Torah prohibition against wearing a garment that contains fiber or threads from wool and linen, which are spun, sewn, or connected together in any form. Even if the garment isn’t worn completely, but it is draped around the entire or part of the body (including neckties) or hands, in a manner that is beneficial to the person doing so, it is forbidden. The reference to wool refers to wool from sheep or lambs; it doesn’t refer to camel wool, mohair, angora, cashmere, alpaca, or vicuña. The reference to linen applies only to fibers from the flax plant, not hemp, jute, or ramie. All other materials aren’t subject to shatnez.

When shopping, I always check the tags or labels for signs of shatnez. If there’s no mention of wool or linen, can I trust the tag and not check for shatnez?

Often, that would be sufficient. However, US law allows some leeway in labeling. A label that states that a garment is 100 percent wool may contain as much as two percent of other materials. Clothing manufactured in Europe or China has an even greater chances of containing shatnez, despite what the label claims. In addition, the label refers only to the fabric, not to any threads or material in the shoulder padding, collar, or ornamental trim. If the label states that the garment contains “unknown (or other) fibers” (OF) or “reprocessed material” it certainly needs to be checked. Your local shatnez checker should be able to guide you as to which garments need checking, even if the label doesn’t list wool or linen.

When going shopping with my son, may he try on suits without knowing if they’re shatnez-free?

It’s permitted to try on a garment in a clothing store or at a tailor without knowing whether it has shatnez or not unless the label clearly states that the garment includes both wool and linen. (The prohibition of shatnez also applies to small children, even to children below the age of chinuch.)

I generally shop in frum stores. Can I rely on the salesperson (or the owner) if he tells me the item has no shatnez?

Every frum Jew is considered trustworthy and isn’t suspected of deliberately lying. Thus, from a halachic perspective, you’re allowed to believe him when he says that according to his knowledge, there’s no shatnez in the garment. But at the same time, you need to inquire how exactly he’s so sure that item is shatnez-free. If he’s merely basing his assertion on past history, such as stating that this particular brand has never been found to contain shatnez, that may not always be sufficient, since each shipment may have its own concerns and issues. What was true last year, or last shipment, may not necessarily be an indication of the present situation. In other words, if his assurance is based on assumptions or secondhand information, that wouldn’t be considered credible, and you’d be well advised to have the garment professionally checked by an accredited shatnez checker.

I recently bought my son an expensive coat and then found out it has shatnez in it. What should I do now?

In most cases, the shatnez can be removed and the garment will be kosher. Sometimes, when the actual fabric of the garment is made out of a combination of wool and linen, the garment may not be able to be made kosher.

My son receives a lot of his clothing from our neighbor who graciously gives us the hand-me-downs. Can I believe her if she says everything was already checked for shatnez?

As stated earlier, any frum Jew has credibility. If she (or he) says that the item was checked for shatnez, she is to be believed, even if the garment doesn’t feature a label stating that it was checked for shatnez.

Can I use fabric that hasn’t been checked to make curtains for my kitchen?

If the curtains are made out of soft material and will be hung in a loose manner, then it’s an issur d’Rabbanan for it to be made out of shatnez material due to the concern that on a chilly day, one may wrap his hands or body with the curtain in order to warm himself. The same halachah applies to a tablecloth or to the cover of the bimah in shul.

My grandmother is a talented craftswoman and often makes us decorative items from materials that I know she hasn’t checked. May we display these items in the house or must they be checked first?

Displaying decorative items made out of shatnez material isn’t a concern; they don’t need to be checked, unless it’s the type of item that can be used to warm one’s hands or body, as mentioned earlier. [It’s permitted to wash wool and linen together in one load.]

Is there an issue of shatnez with slippers, socks, or hats?

There could be an issue of shatnez with slippers if the inside is lined with wool and the sewing thread is made out of linen, but it isn’t common. Contrary to public perception, UGG slippers don’t have a shatnez concern and don’t have to be checked. At one time, Gold Toe socks did contain shatnez; however, in recent times this hasn’t been the case. Russian hats made of fur should be checked, because the lining inside the hat could, and often does, use a natural fabric such as wool or linen.

With winter in full force, I’m constantly buying new scarves, earmuffs, and gloves for my kids because they keep losing them. Do such items need to be checked for shatnez?

Most scarves, ear muffs and gloves don’t contain shatnez and don’t need to be checked. In some specialty items, like high-end scarves, it’s possible that linen was used to stitch the seam of the scarf. For those types of scarves, checking is recommended. (Cuisinart-brand oven mitts, product of China, with label stating “100% Polyester Filling,” contain a shatnez filling. They’re not pure polyester; they contain wool and linen.)

Is it permitted to wear a wool garment and a linen garment, or vice versa, one on top of the other?

The Rema states, as a stringency, that one shouldn’t wear a wool garment with a linen garment on top of it, or vice versa, when it’s impossible to remove the bottom garment without first removing the top garment. An example of that would be to wear a wool vest over a linen shirt, or linen socks over wool socks. Although other poskim disagree with this stringency and many people are lenient, it’s appropriate to be stringent whenever possible. But all poskim agree that it is permissible to wear linen and wool garments at the same time if they can be removed separately; thus one may wear a linen top together with a wool skirt because they can be removed independently.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 978)