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What do you and what do you not have to check for Shatnez?

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Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/17198/1569 – b a Jan 1 at 1:07
Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/27869 – msh210♦ Apr 12 at 6:22

4 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

http://shatnez.n3.net/ Here are a few:

Carpets/Rugs: May require testing. Wool carpets (wall-to-wall) and area rugs may be backed or reinforced with linen. Non-woolen rugs and carpets are not a problem. Services are available at most shatnez laboratories for those who wish to have their carpets tested.

Linen and Linen-look fabrics: Require testing.

Pajamas: Do not require testing.

Suits and Sport jackets, (Men's/Boy's): Require testing even 100% polyester and 100% silk suits.

Suits/Jackets (Women's): Only fully constructed suits require testing. "Linen-look" fabrics or those labeled as containing "other fibers" should be tested.

Ties: Linen and polyester ties with a textured surface ties need testing. Silk ties are generally free of shatnez, except for those from Spain (even 100% silk).

Trousers/Slacks/Pants: Those made in the USA have not been found to contain shatnez. All imported trousers should be tested. Any trousers which have a linen-look fabric should be checked, even if American made.

For more info- this site has an entire list with almost every item.

If anyone is looking for Hilchot Shatnez (in Hebrew) Yalkut.info-hilchot shatnez has the entire Yalkut Yosef Halachot. Also, it gives pretty much the same list as ST of America.

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Although just copying and pasting is not ok, its also not ideal to just have a link. Perhaps list some of the more common items, and then say that there are many more at the following link. – HodofHod Dec 27 '11 at 20:03
up vote 3 down vote

I think generally speaking, if you'd reasonably believe it could contain wool or linen.

I heard something about baseball mitts being a problem? Anyone hear of this?

From what I've heard, a garment that's entirely cotton and/or synthetic is incredibly unlikely to contain both wool and linen (but men's suits could still have lining or padding or the like ...?). Usually what people have checked (again, if I understand correctly) is clothing claiming a certain percentage to be either "wool", "linen", or "other" (which could be anything).

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Does anyone have any sources – Y.Stahl Aug 22 '10 at 19:01
I've heared once a lecture of someone from a Shaatnez Lab and he told same things: If the cloths contain wool or linen they should be checked (he didn't mentioned "other", but it seems reasonable to include it too). However, I don't remember the lecturer's name. – jutky Dec 27 '11 at 22:14
up vote 3 down vote

Rav Aaron Abadi writes:

"Don't listen to the rumors. There is no need to check for Shaatnez on any article of clothing unless you're sure there's shaatnez in there. For all those who need to know.... Shaatnez according to some Rishonim requires "Shua, Tavi, and Nuz all together." We don't have that today. So according to those Rishonim, today's Shaatnez is only derabanan. When you bring a suit home, you only have a Safek Derabanan that is not "efsher levrury bekal." Or you can see it as a Sefek sefeka on a de'oraita. Same difference. The current so-called Shaatnez awareness was not initiated by Talmidei Chachamim. May sound radical. Probably because it is. "

Also, the Mishneh Halachos (7:198) writes similarly that without any indication on the label that there is shatnez, there is no need to be machmir and check for shatnez.

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I may be mistaken but I think that Mishne Halachat is talking about checking mattresses... – Hacham Gabriel Jun 22 '12 at 13:09
@HachamGabriel That is his initial question, but he goes on to talk about Sha'atnez in general. – Double AA♦ Dec 31 '12 at 19:08
Rav Abadi also says one may eat from non-kosher restaurants. He is not what I would consider the trustworthy source. – Rabbi Michael Tzadok Apr 12 at 8:00
@RabbiMichaelTzadok "Kabel et Haemet MiMisheamara- accept the truth from the one who said it." He brings a valid Safek Sefeka regardless if you agree with his other Pesakim. Anyways, he is not a Daat Yahid as he has the Mishne Halachot as well on his side. – Hacham Gabriel Apr 12 at 14:13
@HachamGabriel First Rav Ovadia Yosef has long said that following Rav Abady will only bring one to sin. Second since when do we say Sofek D'oraitta L'Kulo? Third in general the tag of a garment only covers the broad clothe it is made from, not interlining, lining, and stiffeners. A 100% polyester suit is only a guarentee that the shell is 100%poly, not that suit is, nor that it doesn't have shatznaz. That is a simple fact known to anyone who has ever worked in the textile industry. But this is what I would expect from a Rav who says Hekhsherim are unnecessary. – Rabbi Michael Tzadok Apr 12 at 15:04
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up vote 2 down vote

I think the accepted opinion holds that by an issur one should be choshesh for a "miut ha'motzoi", which I think R.H. Schachter defines as around 10%. So if you think the suit has a greater than 10% chance of being shatnez, you should get it checked. If so, I think only certain higher-end wool suits would be an issue. Some might hold one should check it even if its not a "miut hamotzoi" if its something that's very easy to do. Either way, once one suit from a line was checked, I don't see why there's any reason to check other ones. Its extremely unlikely that the manufacturer made a sudden change in the production of the same suit. So if there was a list of kosher suits, one could just check that.

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Re high-end wool suits: I have encountered many a shatnez-laden lower-end suit produced in the '50s, '60s and '70s. – WAF Nov 24 '11 at 12:35
What about 100% wool (especially fine wool) sweaters? The likelihood that they also contain linen is extremely small, and whenever I do get them checked the checker generally looks at the tag, does a quick scan with his eyes, and hands it back to me saying it's fine (usually without charging, either). Is there a way for a lay person to recognize problem sweaters vs. good sweaters? If the label says 100% wool, can that be trusted as excluding linen (among all other materials)? – Seth J Dec 27 '11 at 19:21
@SethJ AFAIK if you have small percentage of certain material you do not obligated to report that on label. So, for example, if parts of wool sweater are sewn linen strings this info could be omitted from label. – jutky Dec 27 '11 at 22:20
@jutky Right, but then why does it seem like the checker barely needs to glance at it? Why, when checking suits, do they only check certain parts that are commonly problematic and not analyze every stitch? – Seth J Dec 28 '11 at 2:18
@SethJ I don't know what to tell you about the checker. But about suits, they check only certain parts where linen might be used. You don't have to suspect a problem in case of "מיעות שאינו מצוי". So, as far as I understand checkers more rely on common practices of suits production and not on labels marking – jutky Dec 28 '11 at 11:27
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