Ökotest warns:

Cheap fashion from Shein contaminated with chemicals

According to "Ökotest", eight items of clothing contained residues of toxic chemicals above the limit values.(Bild: AP/Richard Drew)

According to a random sample investigation, goods from the Chinese online mail order company Shein are heavily contaminated with harmful substances. "Some quick bargains are bursting with toxic chemicals", explained the testers from "Ökotest" in Germany on Thursday.

Most of the 21 items of clothing tested failed the test, with the best products scoring "sufficient".

According to "Ökotest", eight items of clothing had residues of toxic chemicals above the limit values. The laboratory test for a dress for small children, for example, revealed toxic antimony. "In a brightly colored teenage suit, the laboratory detected dimethylformamide, which is classified in the EU as probably damaging to fertility," the testers explained. According to "Ökotest", sandals were particularly contaminated, containing lead and cadmium, for example.

Shein refers to international testing agencies
A spokeswoman for Shein explained that the company attaches great importance to the health and safety of all its customers. Shein requires its suppliers to comply with strict controls and standards that are aligned with European and global standards. "We work with leading international external testing agencies to conduct regular product testing to ensure that suppliers meet these standards." In 2023, Shein "conducted a total of over 400,000 chemical safety tests" with these testing agencies.

According to the testers, the quality of Shein products also leaves something to be desired. Most sandals, for example, did not last longer than a day under normal use. Garments broke or shrank badly during washing. Three items turned out to be hand-washable only, which was not mentioned at the time of purchase.

The testers also criticized the company's lack of transparency: "Shein now has its headquarters in Singapore, but has its fashion sewn together in around 5000 Chinese factories. That's pretty much all the company itself reveals about its production." It did not answer questionnaires from "Ökotest".

The retailer is successful worldwide with its business model of producing clothes cheaply and selling them directly at bargain prices. However, Shein has been widely criticized, with accusations ranging from systematic plagiarism and a catastrophic environmental footprint to forced labour.