SHEIN and AliExpress banned some clothing due to excessive chemical content

Brands such as SHEIN and AliExpress are currently very popular abroad. Their relatively low prices, good quality and constantly launched new designs make them the new choice of more and more people.

However, a recent investigation by Canadian consumer magazine Marketplace found that one in five of 38 samples of children's, adult and maternity clothing and accessories contained elevated levels of chemicals including lead, PFAS and phthalates.

Miriam Diamond, an environmental chemist at the University of Toronto who participated in the sample testing, said she was surprised by this. She mentioned that a toddler jacket from SHEIN products had a lead content of almost 20 times the safety level set by Health Canada. In addition to this toddler jacket, a red handbag from SHEIN also contained lead levels more than five times the standard threshold.

Diamond said consumers buy things that look cute and fashionable in a fast-changing fashion cycle, but the cost to our health and the environment is huge while we enjoy it.

Marketplace studied clothing from three fast-fashion brands, Zaful, AliExpress and SHEIN, all of which are known for their high value for money. The result is that all three retailers are selling clothing, shoes and accessories containing substandard chemicals.

Chief among them is lead content, which, at any elevated level, can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidneys and reproductive system. Of particular concern is that children and pregnant women are more vulnerable, which puts infants and children at increased risk of lead poisoning.

According to Joël Mertens, a product environmental impact expert , lead is a naturally occurring element that can be used to dye textiles, but there are safer alternatives on the market that can achieve the same effect. Using these alternatives is not only for the safety of consumers, but also for the safety of all workers involved in the entire supply chain system.

It is reported that after Marketplace contacted the company involved, SHEIN has issued a statement saying that it has removed the problematic wallets and jackets from its application and will stop cooperating with the relevant suppliers until the problem is resolved.

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