The European Union is introducing a new import tax aimed at curbing purchases from fast-fashion e-commerce platforms like SHEIN, Temu, and others. Despite their low price tags, these ultra-affordable clothes conceal a harmful impact on human health, as tests have shown.
Each year, the EU imports approximately 4.5 million tonnes of fast-fashion textiles. Daily, over 5.8 million low-value e-commerce parcels arrive in the bloc, with platforms such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress drawing more than 400 million buyers every month.
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More than 90% of these garments sold through e-commerce are composed of inexpensive synthetic polymers such as polyester, elastane, and nylon. Essentially, these items are soft plastics that do not decompose naturally and finally break down into microplastics.
Until this point, shipments were sent straight from foreign factories to consumers, bypassing EU regulations on hazardous chemicals and materials. The EU’s updated customs regulation now mandates electronic tracking information for every incoming package. Border control will have the ability to inspect shipments for prohibited chemical concentrations and safety infringements before they reach European soil.
Pelle Moos, a chemical specialist and policy official at consumer advocacy group BEUC, explained, “About 200 products enter the EU every second. While this discussion takes place, nearly a thousand goods will have arrived in Europe, yet only a small portion has been checked.”
Investigations by authorities and consumer organizations consistently reveal, as Moos described, “astronomically” high rates of non-adherence among products sold via ultra-fast-fashion channels.
“The figures are in the range of 70–80%,” he added.
Reports of textile and fashion chemical hazards have surged, with numerous international alerts submitted annually to the EU Rapid Alert System. Over 72% of these official textile alerts highlight direct risks to human health, including severe allergic reactions, chemical burns caused by excessive formaldehyde, and potential organ damage from heavy metals.
Testachats, a consumer entity, also carried out tests on Shein toys and uncovered worrying findings.
“Only one toy fully met standards. It’s important to emphasize that the selection was random, not based on products that appeared unsafe online. Of the 45 toys tested, about 60% posed genuine safety hazards, such as small detachable parts that could be swallowed or electronic components not securely enclosed,” stated spokesperson Laura Clays.
Toxic textiles
“This is among the worst issues we observe,” commented Moos. “These chemicals have been known for decades to be dangerous. They include substances that may provoke cancer, infertility, developmental disorders in children, and persist in the environment.”
A 2025 Greenpeace laboratory analysis revealed that 32% of the Shein products tested exceeded EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) thresholds.
A June 2025 inquiry by BEUC highlighted “chemical bombs” present in many children’s items. Ten out of 25 products contained hazardous chemicals, with one pair of children’s slippers described as a “bomb.”
Heat from the body and sweat function as natural solvents, enabling restricted substances to leach from fabrics onto the skin. People also breathe in textile fibres and chemicals emitted from clothing, while young children often put clothing in their mouths. Increased heat, perspiration, prolonged wear, and damaged skin can all amplify absorption.
Among 56 garments analyzed, Greenpeace found phthalate concentrations reaching up to 200 times the EU limit. PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” were detected in seven jackets, some surpassing EU limits by over 3,000 times. Researchers also identified lead and cadmium in footwear, formaldehyde in a child’s costume, and nonylphenol ethoxylates in a raincoat. BEUC reported corresponding findings, and the Danish consumer organization ForbrugerrådetTænk detected restricted PFAS in several outdoor jackets.
What can these chemicals do to you?
Their names might be complex, yet their effects are clear:
- Phthalates (including DEHP and DBP): Chemicals that soften plastics, associated with hormonal disruption, decreased fertility, and developmental issues in children.
- PFAS (“forever chemicals”): Persistent compounds that accumulate in the body, linked to immune suppression, organ damage, and certain cancers.
- Formaldehyde: Used to make garments wrinkle-resistant; exposure may cause irritation, allergic reactions, and heightened cancer risk after prolonged contact.
- Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs/APEOs): Chemicals disrupting the endocrine system, related to reproductive and developmental concerns.
- Aromatic amines: Dyes’ chemical by-products, including known and suspected carcinogens.
- Dimethylformamide (DMF) and related VOCs: Industrial solvents linked to liver damage, reproductive harm, and respiratory irritation.
Moos clarified, “Phthalates soften plastics and synthetic materials; PFAS impart waterproofing properties to fabrics; formaldehyde ensures clothes remain wrinkle-free and protected in transit; cadmium can be added to budget jewelry to increase weight. Other elements like lead are usually unintended contaminants from inadequate manufacturing controls.”
Heavy metals
Federacja Konsumentów, BEUC’s Polish member, evaluated Shein clothing, underwear, and jewelry. Over 50% of the items analyzed contained hazardous levels of heavy metals.
Lead, a neurotoxin, accumulates in the body and has been linked to impaired brain development, learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, kidney damage, and reproductive harm, especially in children.
Cadmium is classified as a carcinogen and is associated with damage to kidneys, liver, lungs, cardiovascular and nervous systems, reduced fertility, and negative impacts on fetal development.
“Lead is a neurotoxin with no safe exposure level,” Moos emphasized. “Europe has spent decades eliminating lead from everyday products, yet it continues to be found in consumer goods.”
The wider safety situation remains troubling. BEUC’s cross-border marketplace inspections revealed that 69% of assessed items—including apparel, accessories, and toys—arriving in the EU from platforms like Shein and Temu failed to comply legally and did not meet basic European health and safety standards.