Toxic chemicals in Shin and other fast fashion clothes

• Fast fashion company Sheen recently reiterated its commitment to product safety after social media outcry over chemicals in the brand’s clothing.
• Many fashion brands use toxic chemicals like PFAS and phthalates, experts told Insider Shopper.
• Consumers are less likely to get sick from these substances in clothing than textile workers are.

Shen responded to a question about whether the clothing contained toxic chemicals, saying, “I am committed to product safety.”

“We regularly test products and take action when non-compliant items are found, including terminating suppliers,” the fast fashion brand responded. Twitter.

In the year A 2021 investigation into Sheen by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation found elevated levels of lead, phthalates and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — chemicals linked to health problems — in the clothing of children and adults, including pregnant people.

Experts told Insider that Schein is not a unique case. Many big clothing brands like Lululemon, Old Navy, and REI have been found to contain toxic chemicals in their clothing. Although these chemicals are used at relatively low levels, exposure to toxic substances over time can put a person at risk of serious health problems such as asthma and kidney damage.

“It’s not just people who are exposed on a regular day,” Alexandra McNair Quinn, a chemical sustainability consultant and founder of FashionFW, a nonprofit that educates consumers about toxic chemicals in clothing, told Insider. “All these exposures accumulated in a normal day can be very harmful.”

Why are chemicals so prevalent in fashion?

The use of chemicals like PFAS and lead is “very common” in the fashion industry, says Marty Mulvihill, a general partner with SaferMed, a venture capital fund that invests in companies that reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.

Yoga pants and gym leggings sold by Lululemon and Old Navy contain PFAS, according to tests by consumer health advocacy blog Mamavation. Outdoor clothing brands Columbia, REI and LL Bean have received a D or F rating for PFAS from Fashion FW, the nonprofit consumer watchdog about toxic chemicals in clothing.

(REI and LL Bean reiterated their commitment to product safety in statements to Insider. Columbia, Lululemon, Old Navy and Sheen did not respond to Insider’s request for comment.)

In the year In 2012, phthalates were found in 31 items of clothing from popular retailers, and lead was found in baby bibs sold at Walmart and Babies R Us, Insider previously reported.

According to Quinn, manufacturers can use these chemicals to prevent water from eroding or corroding and to soften ink in screen prints. Lead is sometimes found in low-cost paints and inks as well as zippers, and chromium makes leather more malleable.

Exposure to toxic chemicals builds up over time.

Exposure to ingredients like lead and phthalates can harm the people who make the clothes more than the consumers, said Scott Echols, senior director of the ZDHC Foundation, which works with companies to limit their chemical footprint.

Sustainable fashion analytics firm Common Purpose says 27 million people working in the fashion supply chain worldwide may suffer from work-related illnesses or diseases, including skin and respiratory diseases.

As for the people who buy and wear clothes, children, – Put clothes directly into their mouths, – May be more dangerous than toxic chemicals. The chemicals can enter the body through pores in the skin.

In addition, exposure to toxic chemicals is increasing over time, Quinn said. These chemicals are not only found in clothing, but also in food, water, cosmetics and personal care products.

“PFAS aren’t just going away, they’re very, very long-lasting and very harmful to the environment and human health,” Quinn said. “The government needs to develop a preventive mechanism where the products will not go on the market until they are proven safe.”

How to identify chemicals on clothing including lead, flame retardants and ‘forever chemicals’

Quinn told Insider that the toxic chemicals used to make clothes:

• ChromiumIt is used in skin effects that can weaken the immune system and lead to liver and kidney damage.
• FaltsUsed to soften the color on screen prints. Insider Andrea Michelson reports that phthalates are linked to early deaths in American adults, especially from heart disease, and can disrupt the body’s hormones.
• Broken fire protections, sometimes in children’s pajamas to protect the house fire. These chemicals, banned in Europe, can alter the body’s processes of fat and carbohydrates by altering thyroid function. As Insider previously reported, researchers are studying the link between exposure to flames and ADHD.
• PFASAlso known as “forever chemicals,” these lab-grown chemicals do not break down in the environment and have been linked to a number 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 gear, Quinn said.
• led, a low-cost paint or sometimes used as a cheap metal for zippers. Significant childhood lead exposure can cause long-term developmental problems.