Harmful Chemicals Discovered in Shein and Temu Products in South Korea

Happy Thursday!

We’re excited to kick off our newsletter this week with a discussion on what’s going on in the industry. This week we’ll highlight the recent discovery of harmful chemicals from popular fast fashion brands.

We’ll also dive deeper to learn about some harmful chemicals commonly used in the production of fashion and close out with our brand spotlight and company highlights.

 Thanks for reading!

Headlines

South Korean authorities discovered that shoes from fast-fashion brands Shein and Temu contained toxic substances exceeding legal limits. Some Shein shoes had 229 times the permissible amount of phthalates, a chemical linked to reproductive issues, while Temu sandals had 11 times the legal limit for lead. Following the findings, Temu removed the affected products and launched an internal investigation. Shein noted that they carry out "risk-based sampling tests to ensure that products provided by suppliers meet Shein’s product safety standards." 

Despite this, in the past, various Shein products have been flagged in South Korea for high amounts of phthalates. As Shein and Temu both grow in market share, so do concerns about the safety of their products. Outside of environmental concerns, these products also pose potential safety risks to consumers.

Analysis of the Week

Let’s learn about some of the harmful chemicals that are often used in the fashion industry and some of the risks they pose to human health. 

For many of these chemicals, there are more sustainable and less risky alternatives that are being explored in the industry today. For example, some companies opt for more natural dyes, and non synthetic fabrics also don’t contain the harmful toxins that many plastic based and synthetic fabrics do. 

Brand Spotlight

Learn about one of the sustainable brands on Trace’s marketplace!

Check out today’s featured brand: Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga Consulting is a consulting firm led by Amber Wan that helps small and medium sized businesses find their path to creating resilient and sustainable business models that are good for the planet, society and business.

Amber believes that small businesses are a key part of the future, and recognizes that many of them have the drive to incorporate sustainability but lack the resources to do so fully. Baba Yaga values being able to help companies set up frameworks to measure and track their impact, and do the hard work upfront so that they are set up for success in the long term.

If you’re a small or medium sized business looking to more effectively incorporate sustainability within your business model, check out Amber now!

Innovation in Fashion

Vestiaire Collective - Certified B-Corp and global online marketplace for desirable pre-loved fashion. Their fashion was recently featured on the hit Netflix show “Emily in Paris.” 

Vinted - European Online C2C marketplace for second-hand fashion 

By Rotation - Platform to rent, lend and resell fashion