South Korean investigation reveals toxic chemicals in Shein products

South Korean officials have found that some Shein products contain chemicals far above safe limits. The Chinese-owned retail giant has surged in popularity in recent years, offering clothing, jewelry, and other items at significantly lower prices than competitors.

Authorities in Seoul have been conducting weekly evaluations of products from Shein and other low-cost retailers like Temu and AliExpress to ensure safety standards are met. In the latest round of tests, eight Shein items were examined, including children’s shoes, leather bags, and a belt, according to Korean news agency Yonhap.

The results revealed that some items had high levels of chemicals used to soften plastics. Notably, one pair of shoes contained phthalates at levels 428 times the legal limit, the highest recorded in their investigation.

Investigators have requested Shein to immediately remove these items from sale. So far, 93 products from online retailers have been tested, and nearly half were found to contain toxic substances.

Shein, based in Singapore, stated to AFP that it takes safety “very seriously. “Our suppliers must comply with our controls and standards, and we work closely with international third-party testing agencies to regularly test for compliance with our product safety standards,” a spokesperson said. “Upon learning of any claim against our products, we immediately remove the product(s) from our site while we conduct an investigation.”