“Hazardous chemicals in Shein children’s clothing”

Test purchases discovered harmful chemicals in 10 of 25 children’s clothes tested Shein. Although there is only one serious offense, the consumer association believes that the legislation is too lax.

Disruptive slippers

Since children are even more sensitive to harmful chemicals than adults, Testachats subjected the children’s clothing from the low-cost online store Shein to a quality test. The consumer organization selected 25 children’s clothing and shoes and tested them for the presence of endocrine disruptors, PFAS, heavy metals and other harmful substances.

At least one of these substances was found in 10 of the 25 items of clothing. In one item of clothing – a pair of boys’ slippers – the concentrations were much higher than allowed under European law, while the other 24 items of clothing met the maximum quantities allowed in Europe. Testachats still considers the results worrying.

In the case of boys’ slippers, Testachats found more formamide than allowed, without even mentioning that the shoes contain this substance. They also contain a lot of phthalates, which are known hormone disruptors with negative effects on development, and five times too much lead. “These slippers are real chemical bombs for children. Especially the little ones who put everything in their mouth. Having these slippers in a child’s room is already a problem. But what’s more, if the child wears them without socks, they are directly in contact with their feet,” Testachats told La Libre.

Europe too lax

The consumer organization also believes that European legislation is too lax. “Children are confronted daily with a cocktail of chemicals through food, air and consumer products. It is therefore not acceptable to find substances in clothing and shoes intended for them that are toxic to their growth and health,” explains Laura Clays, spokesperson for the association.

Previous tests on Temu, AliExpress, Wish and Amazon showed that two out of three products from these websites also had security issues. Indeed, the existing legislation is not sufficiently controlled. “If we want to keep consumers safe, we need to close the gaps,” Clays said. “More controls from European and national authorities and the online stores themselves would increase the risks of getting caught and force producers to comply with the legislation.