KUALA LUMPUR – The Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) has urged authorities to investigate the entry of Shein products into Malaysia after recent revelations about toxic chemicals found in some of its products.
The call was made after recent findings by the Seoul city government revealed that children’s products sold by the online shopping platform contain high levels of toxic chemicals.
According to reports, the Seoul government initiated safety inspections last month amid escalating concerns regarding products distributed by Chinese e-commerce platforms.
Shein, hailed as the world’s most popular fashion brand by Time magazine in 2023, has drawn scrutiny from authorities in South Korea and the European Union.
This scrutiny was intensified by concerns regarding the company’s business practices and safety standards.
In a statement, CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said: “Given the situation, CAP calls on authorities to immediately conduct safety tests of products sold on Shein as it was found to contain highly dangerous chemicals.
“This is alarming since Shein is one of the online e-commerce platforms popular in Malaysia, especially among the youth.”
According to a Korea Times article, seven out of eight examined products from Shein contained excessive levels of formaldehyde and phthalates that exceeded the safety threshold.
One pair of children’s shoes was found to exceed permitted phthalate levels by an alarming 428 times.
Toxic chemicals were also detected in four leather bags, one contained formaldehyde slightly exceeding the permitted level by 1.2 times, while the remaining bags contained phthalate plasticisers at levels up to 153 times higher than the allowed limits.
Shein, an online fashion retailer based in China known for its wide range of trendy clothing, was founded in 2008 but became widely known in 2020 during the pandemic.
The company operates primarily through its e-commerce platform, catering to customers in over 220 countries and regions.
Despite its rapid growth and popularity, Shein has faced criticism and controversy over various issues, such as the environmental impact of fast fashion practices and alleged child labour practices.
In light of these concerning revelations, CAP advises consumers to take precautionary measures, including washing new clothes before wearing them to eliminate toxic chemical layers, avoiding brands lacking transparency in their manufacturing processes, and minimising exposure to items labelled as stain, water, or odour resistant. – June 11, 2024
