Looking for trendy outfits for your little ones at rock-bottom prices?
Shein might seem like a dream come true, but a recent investigation by South Korean authorities revealed a nightmare lurking beneath its seemingly affordable facade.
According to the DailyMail, random testing of Shein children’s clothes and shoes, belts, and leather bags revealed significant levels of toxic “forever chemicals” linked to autism, cancer, and infertility.
Several items were found to surpass safe compound levels by over 400 times, posing a risk as they can penetrate your skin and enter your bloodstream.
But the revelations don’t end there.
In addition to these concerning findings, South Korean officials also discovered excessive levels of phthalates—a forever chemical used to soften plastics.
Phthalates have been linked to numerous health concerns, including infertility, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers. Despite being cautioned against by the FDA and shunned in the beauty industry, they persist as a common industrial compound, posing significant environmental and health risks.
Officials found that one pair of children’s shoes exceeded permitted levels by 428 times, while three bags had levels surpassing the accepted threshold of forever chemicals by 153 times.
Seoul city official Park Sang-Jin stated that they have requested the removal of these products from the market and noted that since the city began inspections, most platforms have complied with such requests.
Seoul authorities have inspected over 100 products, discovering that nearly half contained toxic compounds. These items include children’s watches and coloring pencils.
In response to the alarming findings, Shein told officials that it takes product safety “very seriously.”
“Our suppliers are required to comply with the controls and standards we have put in place, and we work closely with international third-party testing agencies … to regularly carry out testing to ensure suppliers’ compliance to our product safety standards”, a Shein spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson added that the fast-fashion company had conducted over 400,000 chemical safety tests with these agencies over the past year.
“Upon learning of any claim against our products, we immediately remove the product(s) from our site as a matter of caution whilst conducting our investigation,” the spokesperson continued.
“If non-compliance is verified, we will not hesitate to take appropriate follow-up action with the supplier of said product.”
Despite Shein’s assurances, this isn’t the first time their products have been scrutinized for harboring toxic chemicals.
Greenpeace’s independent testing in 2022 revealed concerning levels of forever chemicals and formaldehyde in several Shein children’s clothing and accessories across Europe.
As Shein continues its meteoric rise in popularity, especially in the US, where it ships over one million packages daily, questions regarding product safety loom large.
While the allure of Shein’s deals is undeniable, the potential health risks, particularly for children, cannot be ignored.
Until Shein can unequivocally guarantee the safety of its products, consumers may have to reconsider whether the price tag is worth compromising their health and well-being.
