- Fast fashion company Shein recently reiterated its commitment to product safety following social media outcry over chemicals in the brand’s clothes.
- Experts told Consumer Insider that many fashion brands use toxic chemicals like PFAS and phthalates.
- Consumers face less risk of getting sick from these ingredients in clothing than textile factory workers.
Shein has hit back at claims her clothing contains toxic chemicals, insisting she is committed to “product safety”.
“We regularly test products and take action when non-compliance is found, including discontinuing suppliers,” the fast fashion brand said in response to a I tweet.
A 2021 investigation into Shein by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation found high levels of lead, phthalates and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals linked to health problems — in clothing for children and adults, including pregnant people.
Experts told Insider that Shein is not a unique case. Many major clothing brands such as Lululemon, Old Navy, and REI have been found to contain toxic chemicals in their clothing. While these chemicals are used at relatively low levels, exposure to toxic substances over time can increase a person’s risk for serious health conditions, such as asthma and kidney damage.
“It’s not like people are exposed to that on a regular day,” Alexandra McNair Quinn, a chemical sustainability consultant and founder of Fashion FWD, a nonprofit that educates consumers about toxic chemicals in clothes, told Insider. “It’s the accumulation of all these exposures in a regular day that can be very harmful.”
Why chemicals are so prevalent in fashion
The use of chemicals like PFAS and lead is “pretty common” within the fashion industry, said Marty Mulvihill, a general partner at Safer Made, a venture capital fund that invests in firms that reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
Yoga pants and gym leggings sold by Lululemon and Old Navy contained PFAS, according to testing done by consumer health activist blog Mamavation. Outdoor clothing brands Columbia, REI and LL Bean received a D or F rating for PFAS from Fashion FWD, a nonprofit organization that educates consumers about toxic chemicals in clothing.
(REI and LL Bean reiterated their commitment to product safety in statements to Insider. Columbia, Lululemon, Old Navy and Shein did not respond to Insider’s requests for comment.)
A 2012 clothing sample from the popular retailer found phthalates in 31 items of clothing, and lead was found in baby tails sold at Walmart and Babies R Us, Insider previously reported.
Quinn said manufacturers can add these chemicals to make them waterproof or smudge-resistant and to soften the ink in screen prints. Lead is sometimes found in low-cost pigments and paints, as well as in chains, and chromium can make leather more supple.
Exposure to toxic chemicals increases over time
Workers in garment factories can suffer from skin and respiratory diseases after exposure to toxic chemicals.
Habibur Rahman / Eyepix Group/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Exposure to substances like lead and phthalates can directly harm the people who make clothes more than consumers, said Scott Echols, a senior director at the ZDHC Foundation, which works with companies to limit their chemical footprint.
Sustainable fashion analytics firm Common Objective estimates that 27 million people working in fashion supply chains worldwide may suffer from work-related illnesses or diseases, including skin and respiratory conditions.
As for the people who buy and wear the clothes, the children, — who put clothes directly in their mouths, — may face increased risk from toxic chemicals. Chemicals can also enter the body through pores in the skin.
Plus, exposure to toxic chemicals increases over time, Quinn said. Not only are these chemicals in clothing, they exist in our food, water, cosmetics and personal care products.
“PFAS don’t just go away, they’re around for a very, very long time and are very harmful to the environment and human health,” Quinn said. “The government needs to develop a preventative approach where products are not released to the market until they are proven safe.”
How to spot chemicals in clothes, including lead, flame retardants and ‘forever chemicals’
Quinn told Insider that the toxic chemicals used to make the clothes include:
- Chromeused in skin products can weaken the immune system and lead to liver and kidney damage.
- phthalates, which are used to soften the ink in screen prints. The Insider’s Andrea Michelson reported that phthalates have been linked to early deaths in American adults, particularly from heart disease, and can disrupt the body’s hormones.
- Brominated flame retardants, which are sometimes found in children’s pajamas to protect them from house fires. These chemicals, which are banned in Europe, can alter thyroid functions and alter the way the body processes fats and carbohydrates. Researchers are studying whether there is a link between fire exposure and ADHD, Insider previously reported.
- PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”, are a group of lab-grown chemicals that do not break down in the environment and are linked to a variety of health conditions such as liver damage, asthma and chronic kidney disease. The substance is water-resistant and can be found in waterproof or stain-resistant devices, Quinn said.
- leaden, a low-cost pigment or sometimes used as a cheap metal for chains. Significant childhood lead exposure can lead to long-term developmental problems.
