Greenpeace: Dangerous Chemicals Still Found in Fast Fashion

For years, cheap mail-order clothing – "fast fashion" – and toys have been known for their harmful effects on people and nature. Low prices and rapid production cycles lead to more purchases by consumers, but also to more waste.

Mounting criticism has had little effect. Despite warnings, Shein is still selling products containing harmful substances, according to the Greenpeace report Shame on You, Shein II. This follow-up investigation shows little change compared with earlier research.

Earlier warnings

In the earlier investigation from 2022, Shein clothing turned up containing harmful substances. Concentrations exceeded the limits set by the European REACH regulations. Shein promised that the items concerned had been removed and that product safety was a top priority.

Repeat investigation

Greenpeace put these claims to the test: once again, 31 items were bought via Shein's German-language web shop. Although not all items were exactly the same, they showed clear similarities in materials, design and source.

The question was whether earlier problems had actually been solved or were simply better hidden. Testing at an accredited laboratory in Germany focused on chemicals that had already raised concerns before – think of PFAS or phthalates. Heavy metals were also examined, along with formaldehyde and similar volatile substances from previous reports.

Shocking results

According to the Greenpeace report, many toy products contained risks. In total, 31 items were tested, a large number of which contained problematic chemicals. Twenty-four products exceeded the European limits for harmful substances. This means that more than four out of five items should actually be banned in the EU.

Some items were found to contain phthalates: substances that act as plasticisers and can affect the hormone system. In certain cases, the measured concentration was up to forty times higher than permitted.

PFAS, the notorious "forever chemicals", were also found. These compounds hardly disappear from the environment and accumulate in animals and humans. In certain jackets, levels were more than a thousand times higher than Europe allows.

Among the heavy metals, lead and cadmium were found: notorious neurotoxic substances that are particularly dangerous for children.

Clothing as a hidden source of chemical exposure

The Greenpeace report shows that more and more studies are sounding the alarm about toxic chemicals in clothing. Scientists at Yale University recently noted that many substances used in the fashion world are far from harmless. Besides having long been seen as harmful to the environment, there is growing evidence of consequences for consumer health.

The research shows that up to a hundred types of chemicals are often used in the manufacture of clothing to provide properties such as stretch, strength, colourfastness or water repellency. Some compounds can slowly leach out of the material during use. Sometimes substances enter the skin directly through contact with clothing. Heat plays a role here: together with sweat, high temperatures speed up the release of chemicals from fibres. Inhalation is another route. When you move, the fabric rubs and fibres break off. These tiny particles then end up in all food chains, and ultimately they may accumulate somewhere in our body.

Microscopically small but persistent

Although most chemicals disappear from the environment slowly, their effects on people remain visible. Some substances are involved in hormone problems, cause allergies or make breathing more difficult. Concern is now growing about compounds that may promote cancer. PFAS stand out in particular – "everlasting" because of their extreme persistence. These substances lodge in the body's tissues and barely break down. Ongoing exposure can lead to possible disruption of the immune system, liver damage and kidney problems.

Phthalates are another problem. Often used as plasticisers in plastic or certain coatings, they can affect hormones and fertility. In some items, the levels were many times higher than what is permitted in Europe: tenfold, sometimes a hundredfold.

An additional concern remains the possible presence of trace substances such as lead and cadmium. These elements occasionally turn up in certain colours and shades. According to research reports, prolonged contact with such compounds leads to accumulation in human tissue, which can then cause damage to the brain, kidney function or growth in young people.

Although it is difficult to gauge exactly what risks specific garments carry, researchers point to a broader context. Every time people eat or care for their skin, they may already be taking in substances from packaging or creams. Disposable products such as cleaning wipes are not always harmless either: here too, it is about structural exposure with potentially long-term consequences.

What now?

Greenpeace sees the problem at Shein as part of a broader system of ultra-fast fashion. The organisation is calling for stricter legislation, including a levy on fast-fashion products, stricter controls, more transparency in supply chains, restrictions on advertising for ultra-fast fashion and, finally, broader liability for online platforms that sell products within the European Union.

According to Greenpeace, non-binding promises by companies have proven insufficient and binding regulation is needed to better protect consumers and the environment. The follow-up report does not stand alone: a growing body of scientific literature indicates that clothing may be an underestimated source of exposure to harmful chemicals.