Fast-Fashion Retailers: The High Levels of Chemicals That Come Along With It

Shein, Aliexpress, Zaful, and Wish are just a few names that made the list on an investigation by Marketplace. 

Fast-Fashion, it seems to be everywhere today, most predominantly online where you can find cheap goods for prices as low as $1.00 USD. While you sit back, browse and even purchase goods from online retailers you should consider the effects of companies like these. You see, fast-fashion is not only bad for the environment, it is also taking the risk of harming our health. 

Consumers who purchase cheap fast fashion from online retailers can be exposing themselves to potentially harmful toxins and chemicals. 

A Canadian magazine called Marketplace investigated and found that out of 38 of their sampled products varying from children’s, adult’s and maternity clothing plus accessories, 1 in 5 items had a hefty amount of chemicals exceeding beyond the legal “safe” amount allowed in the country. These chemicals included lead, PFAS and phthalates, concerning experts who examined them. 

According to the article Miriam Diamond. An environmental chemist and professor at the University of Toronto stated that, "People should be shocked". Diamond was also a part of the investigation in charge of overseeing the lab testing that Marketplace commissioned. 

In addition, scientists found that jackets for toddlers, coming from Chinese retailer Shein, contained almost 20 times the amount of lead that Health Canada allows for children. This is especially concerning for US consumers as the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) no longer requires the examination of lead and subsequent certification for products destined for children. 

Lead can cause damaging effects on our health, such as effects to the heart, kidneys, brain and even reproductive system. While children and pregnant people are most vulnerable, infants and children are the most at risk, according to the magazine's research with Canada's Health associates. According to Joël Mertens, a product environmental impacts expert at the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, he mentions that while lead is a naturally occurring element that can be found throughout the environment, the levels found in Marketplace’s lab results were beyond environmental contamination. It’s either this or somehow the clothes were exposed to unintentional amounts during the manufacturing process. 

"There were clearly products that were intentionally using lead and intentionally using it in a way that was well above what should be considered responsible  — or even safe" - Joël Mertens

Scientists also tested for PFAS, which are a collection of fluorinated compounds commonly used in clothing for waterproofing and stain resistance. Many of these PFAS are known to be endocrine disruptors (can decrease or increase hormonal levels) and are considered “forever chemicals” because they cannot be flushed from the body and cannot break down in our environment.  Potential harmful effects included “increasing obesity to impairing immune function to different types of cancers to even diabetes,” Diamond stated. 

After this investigation, CBC brought the lab results to Shein, Aliexpress, and Zaful, all whom not only removed the products investigated but stated that they would also be investigating further into this concerning issue. 

While there can be cheap methods to create clothing especially for consumers around the world let this be a reminder that it is harmful and dangerous not only for the environment but for the people exposed to the products, either by wearing them or making them. Mertens explained that lead can be used in textile dyeing pigments, but safer alternatives can be used to achieve the same results. 

While the fashion supply chain is complicated and spans many countries, the responsibility is on the brands themselves to oversee the process so it eliminates unnecessary chemicals not only to the consumers but their workers. 

"There are many, many organizations and groups out there that can help any brand or manufacturer navigate this space. Nobody really has an excuse to say, 'Well, I just don't know how to tackle it,' including small brands". -  Joël Mertens

Mertens also suggests consumers look for brands that complete product safety compliance through organizations like Oeko-Tex or Bluesign, which set restricted substances limits in each article of clothing based on progressive international regulations, like the EU's REACH, which sets safe levels of certain chemicals in clothing.

So what happens if you already own garments from these companies? Some chemicals can wash out of clothes. However, nothing is guaranteed nor fully gone. It’s always best to properly dispose of the article safely so that it won’t harm you nor our planet. And in the long term its best to avoid purchasing from fast fashion retailers and remembering that although it may cost more it is better for us and the planet.