Fast fashion: 69% of our clothes contain toxic chemicals

The EU buys roughly 4.5 million tonnes of fast-fashion textiles each year. Over 5.8 million low-value e-commerce parcels enter the bloc every day, with brands like Shein, Temu and AliExpress attracting more than 400 million monthly shoppers.

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More than 90 per cent of these e-commerce clothing items are made from cheap synthetic polymers such as polyester, elastane and nylon. These garments are essentially soft plastics that do not biodegrade and eventually become microplastics.

Until now, these products were shipped directly from overseas factories to consumers, bypassing EU controls on harmful chemicals and components. The EU’s new customs directive will require electronic tracking data for every incoming package. Border authorities can screen shipments for illegal chemical levels and safety violations before they enter Europe.

According to Pelle Moos, chemical expert and policy officer at consumer group BEUC, “every second, around 200 products enter the EU. While we’re having this conversation, almost a thousand products will have entered Europe, and only a fraction of them will have been inspected.”

Authorities and consumer groups repeatedly find what Moos describes as “astronomical” rates of non-compliance when investigating products sold through ultra-fast-fashion channels.

“We are talking in the range of 70–80 per cent,” he said.

Textile and fashion chemical alerts have risen sharply, with dozens of international alerts submitted each year to the EU Rapid Alert System. More than 72 per cent of these official textile alerts cite direct human health risks, including severe allergic reactions, chemical burns from excess formaldehyde and potential organ damage from heavy metals.

Consumer organisation Testachats also tested Shein toys and found concerning results.

“Only one was fully compliant. It’s important to note that we did not specifically select products that looked unsafe on the website. We randomly selected 45 toys. Around 60 per cent presented a genuine safety risk, including small parts that could be swallowed or electronic components that were not properly enclosed,” said spokesperson Laura Clays.

Toxic textiles

“It’s really the worst we are seeing,” said Moos. “These are chemicals we have known for decades are harmful. Chemicals that may cause cancer, infertility, developmental problems in children and that persist in the environment.”

A 2025 laboratory report published by Greenpeace found that 32 per cent of the Shein products tested exceeded EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) limits.

A June 2025 investigation by BEUC warned of “chemical bombs” in many children’s products. Ten of 25 items tested contained hazardous chemicals, including what researchers described as a “bomb”, – a pair of children’s slippers.

Body heat and sweat can act as natural solvents, allowing restricted substances to leach from garments into the skin. People also inhale textile fibres and chemicals released from fabrics, while small children often chew on clothing. Heat, sweat, prolonged wear and damaged skin can all increase absorption.

Among 56 garments tested, Greenpeace found concentrations of phthalates up to 200 times the EU limit. PFAS, or “forever chemicals”, were found in seven jackets, some exceeding EU limits by more than 3,000 times. Researchers also detected lead and cadmium in shoes, formaldehyde in a children’s costume and nonylphenol ethoxylates in a raincoat. BEUC reported similar findings, while Danish consumer group ForbrugerrådetTænk found restricted PFAS in several outdoor jackets.

What can these chemicals do to you?

Their names are complex, but their potential effects are straightforward:

• Phthalates (including DEHP and DBP): Plastic-softening chemicals linked to hormone disruption, reduced fertility and developmental problems in children.
• PFAS (“forever chemicals”): Persistent compounds that accumulate in the body and have been associated with immune-system suppression, organ damage and some cancers.
• Formaldehyde: Used to make garments wrinkle-resistant; exposure can cause irritation, allergic reactions and increased cancer risk after long-term exposure.
• Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs/APEOs): Endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to reproductive and developmental concerns.
• Aromatic amines: Chemical by-products from some dyes that include known and suspected carcinogens.
• Dimethylformamide (DMF) and related VOCs: Industrial solvents linked to liver toxicity, reproductive harm and respiratory irritation.

“Phthalates are used to make plastics and synthetic materials softer, PFAS are added to make fabrics waterproof, formaldehyde is used to keep clothes wrinkle-free and protect them during transport, and cadmium can be added to cheap jewellery to give it more weight. Other substances, such as lead, are often not used intentionally but can appear because of poor manufacturing controls and contamination,” explained Moos.

Heavy metals

BEUC’s Polish member, Federacja Konsumentów, tested Shein clothing, underwear and jewellery. More than 50 per cent of the products tested contained unsafe levels of heavy metals.

One of these, lead, is a neurotoxin that can accumulate in the body and has been linked to impaired brain development, learning difficulties, behavioural problems, kidney damage and reproductive harm, particularly in children.

Cadmium is classified as a carcinogen and has been associated with damage to the kidneys, liver, lungs, cardiovascular system and nervous system, as well as reduced fertility and adverse effects on foetal development.

“Lead is a neurotoxin and there is no safe level of exposure,” said Moos. “Europe has spent decades trying to remove lead from everyday life, yet we continue to find it in consumer products.”

The broader safety picture remains concerning. BEUC’s cross-border marketplace audits found that 69 per cent of evaluated products, including apparel, accessories and toys, entering the EU from platforms such as Shein and Temu were legally non-compliant and failed basic European safety and health standards.