It’s the holiday season, and around this time of year people are or are preparing to read and receive gifts (or maybe you’re just buying for yourself). Fast fashion sites like SHEIN are popular for people who want cheap clothing, and lots of it. But that comes at a cost to you. [The Rangers were losing to the Capitols so badly I decided to do some research]
Besides the terrible impacts it has on the planet, and atrocious working conditions their workers work in; companies like SHEIN can have their products laced with toxic chemicals like lead and phthalates.
Lead is a heavy metal, and exposure to it can cause high blood pressure and brain, kidney and reproductive health issues in adults; as well as brain damage and developmental issues in children. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle/joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability. Phthalates are known hormone disrupters and have been linked to obesity and heart disease, plus the risk of allergies and asthma. [CDC]
In plain words these chemical compounds are BAD.
If your wondering how these elements can be found in products, so I’ll explain: In a lot of countries Lead is commonly used in paints, it’s main danger is when kids or adults put a product with lead paint in their mouth. So maybe for an adult it could be fine on an antique box you see at your grandmas house; but on your knock off Stanley cup from Amazon. That could cause complications. Or in the toys you buy your kids.
Fun Fact: If your on temu and see a kid style toy with the age rating of 14+ this is the company trying to get around the U.S.’s toy and product safety instructions written only for kids under that age. [Toy Insider]
Lead is also used in the dying prosses of some garments and is a cheaper alternative than doing a more natural or even slightly more expensive method. This can cause products to have lead over 20 times the legal limit. For example CBC Canada found 20 times the legal amount of lead in this TODDLERS coat. [CBC]
Fun Fact: Unless your regularly testing every product you buy from these websites, you CANNOT know which have lead in them.
This Holiday Season, if you want clothes or products that are still on the cheaper side go to retailers like H&M or Old Navy, that regularly test their products. However if you can afford to try buying less quantity at more sustainable retailers, with better working conditions.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marketplace-fast-fashion-chemicals-1.6193385
https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/overview.html
https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Phthalates_FactSheet.html
