Expert says you should stop wearing Shein products after government warning

Photo by@iamtheseanchristo/TikTok jetcityimage/Adobe Stock VeNN/Adobe Stock

‘My entire closet is Shein.’

A health coach warns viewers about toxins in budget-retailer Shein clothing following a report from the South Korean government in a now-viral TikTok.

The TikTok video shared by Sean Christopher (@iamtheseanchristo) on August 16 has garnered more than 2.3 million views. In the video, he highlights a study from the South Korean government that discovered up to 428 times the permitted amount of phthalates in Shein products such as shoes, bags, and apparel.

Phthalates are a category of chemicals employed to make plastic more flexible, enabling it to be woven into fabric for clothing. Although the majority of the phthalates are eliminated during the manufacturing process, there is often some leftover on the fabric.

“We’ve got to start taking this stuff far more seriously,” he says.

How dangerous are phthalates really?

Don’t ditch your Shein haul just yet.

While Christopher claims that the report revealed that certain Shein products contained more than 428 times the lethal limit, that’s not completely accurate. The legal limit for phthalate residue in South Korea is 100 parts per million (ppm). In the United States, the limit is higher at 1,000 ppm.

Contact with phthalates won't instantly be fatal upon exposure. However, significant exposure to phthalates through PSAs can interfere with crucial hormones, increasing the likelihood of developing certain long-term illnesses, as noted in a 2021 study. Therefore, it's wise to steer clear of them if possible.

What do Shein shoppers think?

Shein achieved a historic high of $32.5 billion in revenue in 2023, marking a 40% rise from the previous year. However, might this latest report slow down the growth of the budget fashion store?

It’s not likely, according to Shein shoppers in the comments.

“Carry on while I push my Submit order button on my Shein cart,” one viewer says.

“Me wearing my pants from Shein. Not worried,” another writes.

“Watching this as I continue shopping on Shein,” a third adds.

Others suspect that excess phthalates in clothing isn’t just a Shein problem.

“All clothes have these same chemicals, unfortunately,” one writes.

“The clothes we buy in the high-end stores have these chemicals as well, in our pots and pans in our food at least in shein it tells you what products have it and you choose if you want to purchase it,” another suggests.