LONDON: According to reports from AFP, “Of the 56 garments analysed from clothing sold on the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein 18 contained hazardous chemicals, some of which far exceeded the limits set by EU regulation,” Greenpeace Germany said in a media statement, once again condemning the fast-fashion industry.
The NGO noted that seven products—jackets—exceeded PFAS limits by up to 3,300 times the EU thresholds under REACH. Fourteen products exceeded phthalate limits, including six by 100 times or more than the limits set by REACH.
In clothing sold on the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein, the NGO detected the presence of phthalates (plasticisers) and PFAS, agents used for water and stain repellence and considered “forever chemicals” and dangerous to humans.
These potentially toxic substances have been linked to a range of illnesses, including cancers, reproductive disorders and growth impairments in children, as well as a weakened immune system, the NGO statement said.
They enter the body through the skin and via inhalation of fibres, Greenpeace added, noting that children’s clothing was also tested and found deficient.
“There is a risk that children put them in their mouths or play with them, or even swallow them…,” explained Ulrike Siemers, director of the Bremen Environmental Institute, which analysed the garments, in a video posted on the Greenpeace website.
Through washing, these substances also end up in rivers, soils and the food chain.