Popular online fast-fashion retailer Shein has been flagged by authorities in Seoul, South Korea, for having high levels of toxic chemicals in a plethora of its products, including items for children.
In its latest round of inspections, Seoul authorities inspected 93 of Shein’s products and found that half of them are made with toxic chemicals. The inspectors also found that eight of Shein’s products, which include children’s shoes, a belt and leather bags have high amounts of phthalates, which are man-made chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin and can disrupt hormones and can potentially cause cancer.
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Seoul authorities claim that a pair of shoes sold by Shein contained 428 times the permitted levels of phthalates, and three bags had amounts that were 153 times the limit.
Seoul city official Park Sang-jin revealed to AFP that they have requested for Shein to remove these products from sale.
In response to the findings, Shein claimed in an emailed statement to TheStreet that it takes product safety “very seriously.”
“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 investigations,” said Shein in the statement. “If non-compliance is verified, we will not hesitate to take appropriate follow-up action with the supplier of said product.”
This is not the first time Shein has been found to have toxic chemicals in its products. In 2022, a report by Greenpeace revealed that seven out of the 47 Shein products it tested had hazardous chemicals that break EU regulatory limits. One of the products included “a baby girl’s dress” that contained formaldehyde, which is a highly toxic and colorless flammable gas. It can also irritate the eyes, nose and throat and can cause cancer at high levels of exposure.
“The findings – which include very high levels of phthalates in shoes and formaldehyde in a baby girl’s dress – prove, according to Greenpeace Germany, SHEIN’s careless attitude towards environmental and human health risks associated with the use of hazardous chemicals, in pursuit of profit,” reads the report. “Even worse, the report finds that the company, which is headquartered in Nanjing, China, is breaking EU environmental regulations on chemicals and risking the health of consumers and the workers at the suppliers that make the products.”
Shein is currently seeking a U.S. initial public offering. In November last year it quietly filed for an IPO with a reported valuation of around $66 billion.
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