Nickel-free belt buckle wanted (cont'd)

A. Zinc is nickel free, but it will not last very well. Gold plating can be used, or they can be made of stainless steel.

A. German Silver (aka Nickel Silver) it has no nickel, only copper and tin (or some other white metal). It is commonly used as a low cost alternative to silver, it keeps a high shine and doesn't oxidize easily. It commonly gets used on musical instruments and larger jewelry pieces where using a large quantity of silver would be unfeasible.

"Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty"
by Robert D. Friedel

on AbeBooks

or eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. Definitely try to avoid nickel as much as possible - if you already have nickel sensitivity it only gets worse if you do not - I can attest to that!

As Ted said, you can paint on a coating to protect your skin against the metal but in my experience it wears off all too quickly. You have to get quite a lot of fabric between your skin and the buckle because even a little sweat helps transfer the nickel through your skin and causes the irritation (if you are sensitive to nickel).

As for nickel-free jeans, if you are handy with rivets, you could potentially replace them - there are nickel-free buttons and rivets. I don't think you have to pay an arm and a leg to get nickel-free jeans - I have a pair of Calvin Klein jeans which don't irritate me. These have rivets (a dull silver metal) and a zipper (bronze color) and I just tested both with a nickel test kit and neither the rivets nor the zipper contain free nickel.

These were not top of the line jeans.

In regards to the comment for YCC products - the branding on the zipper and rivets they were all marked "ck" - don't know who manufactured the rivets.

A. ...I haven't found what the long-term affects of a nickel allergy are, but I know repeated antihistamine (Benadryl) use may cause liver damage, just like taking too much too long of any drug. I have also found out that nickel is registered in the United States as a known carcinogen (a cancer causing agent). Which is extremely scary.

As for nickel-free, nonsports bras, the brand Delicates has one design that I got at JC Penny's that the clasps are coated in a paint or something that hasn't chipped or given me any problems. (and I can't handle ANYTHING!...not even coins, which is a hassle) They're painted just to blend in. I don't know why, but they are and I'm grateful!

Just a word to the wise. . .

If you know anyone with braces, warn them not to allow them to put on nickel-titanium finishing wires! They hyper-sensitized me to nickel. I believe they contain 55% nickel (Like flex-titanium glasses) and being in my mouth, a wet surface, for four weeks I absorbed so much that my tolerance level is nil. Nothing. No coins, tools, coins, snaps, buttons, softball bats, certain tennis racquets, backpack hardware, most instruments, keys, lamps...you don't know how much is nickel until you're a human guinea pig.

=(

~Alexis, age 15

---

2007

Sorry for your allergy, Alexis -- nickel allergy is a terrible problem indeed. I wish someone in the US government would take action because manufacturers in the USA, unlike most of the rest of the world, do not seem to be interested in voluntary removal of nickel despite the skyrocketing allergy problem.

Certain nickel compounds are carcinogenic, certainly, but as far as I know, nickel metal is not.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. Hi, Emma.

1. All Wacoal bras are nickel free, including the underwires .

2. Although it seems outrageously pricey to me (unless they are throwing in a handbag and shoes with the purchase), www.lavinialingerie.com/conturelle-belledejour-lace-plus-size-bra-80511.html promises that the underwires are nickel-free.

3. In England, I understand that Triumph bras are nickel-free.

I was just getting into this subject when my wife said: "Enough time with the lingerie pages, pal". She doesn't understand that my interest is only in the public service :-)

Regards,

A. OK, here is a idea for you. My daughter has the same allergy. This is what we do. She picks out a regular belt that she likes. The buckle must be a "loop" kind and round. I go to the local electronics shop and buy heat shrink tubing. This comes in several colors. I bend apart the ends of the "D" shaped loops and free the fabric from the loop. Squirt a little WD-40 ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] into the heat shrink tubing and cover the metal loop with the heat shrink tube. The WD-40 sure makes this easier. Shrink the covered loop with a heat gun ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Replace the fabric and bend the "D" shaped loop back to normal.
Takes a little time however the tubing is cheap and you can use off the shelf belts.

A. nonickel.com sells buttons and rivets. Just send your jeans and the buttons and rivets to a tailor and you have yourself nickel free jeans!

A. A toxicology report on nickel issued by the US Dept of Health and Human Services is available at:
www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp15.pdf

A. I have had the same problem since I was like twelve but you should put clear finger nail polish on the belt buckle..to prevent it from touching the skin.and jewelry also.also as your doctor for a cortisone cream.it will stop the itch.

Ed. note: Small commissions help make sites like ours possible. If possible, offer your products through Amazon and everybody will be happy! :-)

A. I was able to find a reasonable number of brass buckle belts on JCPenney.com. Unlike many sites I've searched, this one includes the metal content of the majority of its belt buckles so the buyer is aware if the buckle contains any nickel.

A. To those trying to paint over their nickel buttons on jeans; I have seen a doctor many times for my nickel allergy, plus I have very sensitive skin. He told me that painting over your buttons is NOT a cure and your skin is still exposed to it. Overall. my rash doesn't develop in the area of my pants button. For small children there are pants and all sorts of bottoms you can find easily with an elastic waste band, I wore this kind of clothing until about the 4th grade. I had one medicine that actually cleared my rash from my allergy and eczema (which I have a case of also) but I just can't think of the name but when I find out I will post again with the name. I will warn you now, if you or your child have been scratching and the rash is open, this medicine will burn. Good Luck to you all.

- Lindsey B Age 14

A. Hi, Ruth. I certainly am not about to minimize or understate the misery of nickel allergy! -- but I don't think you need to be concerned about excess nickel being absorbed into your body. I think the allergy problem is more about antibodies that hate the nickel than of the nickel doing damage itself. People have nickel stints implanted. Hopefully your doctor can explain the situation so you don't have worry as well as nickel alergy.

Regards,

A. Beep Tec makes Beep Free buckles. They are 100% metal free.

A. Right after my 2nd son came out of the toddler elastic waist jeans and began wearing "regular" jeans he began to break out. Unfortunately it took me 6 months to get on top of this thing that got so bad he broke out all over. He had to be treated with an antibiotic. Anyway, since then he has been wearing sweat pants and all things elastic waisted. He is 8 now and my older son who is almost 10 is able to wear the latest fashions (at least in their minds) which includes all styles of jeans. Now that he's getting older he has begun to grow tired of the sweat suit outfits and wants to dress up some times in better clothes. He is the one who always looks dressed down when we're dressed up. I feel for him and want to give him more options.

I'm posting here because this is the first time I've seen someone else feeling our pain. Please, let's begin to write the jean makers in the fashion industry. They'll do a lot of good to begin to create nickel-free jeans in the mainstream market and not just leave us here searching so hard for a pair of jeans to make a child (or adult) feel like they left out of fashion trends. I hope we all find what we're looking for. God Bless!

A. nickel-free.net/products_belts.htm, I believe have a nickel free plating on them... not sure if they work.

I also have this problem, started about 2 years ago, and I have yet to buy a nickel free belt buckle. I usually just take some scotch tape and wrap it around it. Stops the burning and the rash until the tape wears off.

Hope this helps.

A. I have a nickel allergy and I use nonickel.com. That's where I got my belt.

A. To remove the studs on jeans, I have spent hours. Pliers works good for the large waist button, but the decorative studs around pockets proved frustrating. I started using a ceramic tile nipper. Once you get under the stud by pulling and cutting they pop off! It leaves a small hole, but it is much faster than trying to pry them off. Good luck and God bless. I hope the jean companies are listening!

A. We found a site that has belts that work wonderfully.
The belt and buckle are metal free. It's an airport security belt. No beep. They have many styles and sizes.

----
Ed. note: Google "airport security belt", we suppose.

A. I recently developed an allergy to nickel and got a pretty bad rash from my belt. I had a hard time finding a nickel free belt so took a regular metal belt buckle to a powder coating shop and had them powder coat the buckle. This gives you a thick coating to protect you from the metal and it's pretty indestructible unless you take a hammer to it. You can also get it in pretty much any colour that you want.

A. Very pleased to find that I'm NOT alone! Just ordered a belt and a buckle from Nickelfreebelts.com. I've had the problem for the last 14 years. Been avoiding belts altogether most of the time. Levi's and Wrangler jeans from Walmart also seem to cause very little or no rash, compared to others. My watches are titanium from Skagen(a nice one!) and a completely plastic one from Swatch for work/sports. Can't wait for my new belt!

A. These are quite good, beware the antique brass buckle, it's very thin and quite sharp so also rubs and causes a rash, although not allergy

www.nickelfreebelts.com

www.nonickel.com

Nickel Detect /
Nickel Alert

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. I am very allergic to both nickel and cobalt (apparently they are almost always together in things so those of you who think you might be allergic to nickel could potentially be allergic to cobalt).

I buy GAP brand jeans here in Canada as they stopped using nickel a while back. Silver brand also apparently switched to non-nickel parts. Haven't had to cover rivets, buttons etc for a while now.

You can also buy nickel test kits like these .
which I have used inconspicuously in change rooms to determine nickel presence before buying.

A. For the UK, there is Nickelsafe.co.uk.

The belts are all anti-allergy guaranteed, but they're Titanium and Surgical Steel so there's no way you'll get an allergic reaction anyway!

A. I've found a place in Canada that has a selection of nickel free belts if anyone is interested. It's allergycanada.com and looks to have a few of the same belts as nonickel.com. This should save a few bucks with shipping, etc.

A. Hello Guys I have been reading all the posts and I was eagerly waiting for my turn to write.

Our company has a solution to this nickel allergy problem which is pure leather belt with stainless steel buckle.This buckle has no nickel or chrome coating and lasts a lifetime.