In South Korea, authorities have detected alarming levels of toxic substances, such as lead or cadmium, on children’s clothing sold by fast-fashion platforms including Temu and AliExpress.
- Toxic substances have been found at very high levels in children’s clothing in South Korea.
- They were marketed by fast-fashion platforms including Temu and Aliexpress.
- They contained lead, cadmium and phthalates in particular.
A children’s coat with 622 times the legal limit of phthalates. South Korean authorities discovered this while analyzing a jacket from the fast-fashion brand Temu. This chemical compound is used to soften plastics, and is classified as an endocrine disruptor. The clothing also contained excessive amounts of lead and cadmium, a toxic metal. Friday, December 6, 2024, the Seoul metropolitan government revealed that it had discovered abnormal quantities of toxic substances in several children’s clothes sold by fast-fashion brands.
Lead, phthalates: significant quantities of toxic substances
“During the latest safety inspection conducted by the city government on 26 items of children’s and infant winter clothing from Temu, Shein and AliExpress, toxic chemicals were found in seven products from Temu and AliExpress.we can read in the South Korean media The Korea Herald. In addition to the coat, city authorities detected phthalates, in quantities 294 times higher than the legal threshold, in a children’s suit also sold by Temu.
Analyzes of shoes sold on AliExpress also showed lead levels five times higher than authorized quantities. “On the same platform, a baby onesie contained 3.5 times the permitted level of phthalate plasticizers, while overalls containing lead at 19.12 times the legal limit were also sold there.note Tea Korea Herald. The city of Seoul announced that it would conduct further testing of products “with high seasonal demand”. Soon, inspections will be carried out on toys and Christmas decorations.
Toxic substances in clothing: what are the risks?
The various substances found in these clothes can be dangerous to your health. In an article, the media Business Insider relays the statements of a manager of Seoul’s environmental health team, made to AFP after a similar investigation in August: “Phthalate plasticizers affect reproductive functions such as reduced sperm count and can cause infertility and even premature birth.” As for lead and cadmium, they are considered carcinogenic. To the media Business Insiderthe Temu company indicated that it had already withdrawn the mentioned products from sale, “through proactive monitoring before the report is published.
