Tista’ taqra bil-
Malti.
A report by the French newspaper Le Monde is warning that products by hyper-fast fashion outlets Shein and Temu have high levels of toxic chemicals, sometimes hundreds of times higher than the legal limit.
The report follows an investigation by South Korean authorities in Seoul. Shein, Temu, and similar outlets have grown increasingly popular due to their very low prices – although such low prices often come with hidden costs.
In the investigation, shoes from Shein were found to have high levels of phthalates, which affect reproductive functions. Caps from Shein were found to have high levels formaldehyde, a chemical used in home building product and as an embalming agent. South Korean authorities also found that insoles from Temu had high levels of lead. The companies responded by saying that they will work with authorities to ensure they meet safety standards.
Shein and Temu are known as hyper-fast fashion brands. This means they produce large amounts of clothing, at lower quality and cheap prices, which is quickly discarded when trends change. Such companies, including Shein and Temu, have also increasingly come under scrutiny for poor working conditions and poor environmental practices.
The problems of hyper-fast fashion brands like Shein and Temu are only symptomatic of a much larger problem in the fashion industry with many well-known Western brands following a similar model. Calls for reform in the fashion industry have grown since 2013, when the Rana Plaza disaster saw the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh, killing some 1,134 people. The factory was creating garments for well-known Western brands.
Other well-known brands often classified as fast fashion include: H&M, Zara, Primark, Nike, and Mango.
