If you haven’t heard anything about this, you may find the title of this article strange.
The reality is that a user was shopping at Shein and a warning appeared saying that the product she wanted to buy could cause cancer.
As expected, panic started to arise among regular users and those who were thinking of making their first purchase on the platform.
In this article we will analyze this warning and tell you if Shein’s products are really harmful.
Why does the carcinogen warning appear?
The carcinogenic product warning that the user received was as follows:
Now, you should know that chemical regulation laws vary from country to country, and even within the United States there are discrepancies between laws in different states.
The user who received the notice is a resident of the state of California, where there is a law passed in 1986 (California Proposition 65) that lists more than 900 chemicals that may increase the risk of cancer.
On the one hand, this law has support because it protects water reservoirs from polluting chemicals and urges companies to use safer reagents.
But, on the other hand, it has had its critics, since almost all products (and even within Disneyland Resort) use substances that would require warning of this circumstance.
Therefore, as you may have noticed, this warning has appeared to that user because of the current legislation, in her place of residence.
Shein cosmetics: carcinogenic or not?
Shein is committed to preserving life on the planet and is committed to avoiding testing its products on animals. Even so, some cosmetics still include some of the substances listed as “may increase the risk of cancer”.
This list is updated every year and has more than 900 chemical components, so Shein markets some products with such substances.
The presence of any of these substances in cosmetics does not imply that they are carcinogenic; prestigious brands also use them in their cosmetics and must warn about it according to Californian legislation.
Even so, the regulation of the cosmetics industry is very important, since the effects of products that are in direct contact with the skin must be monitored. This was highlighted when the high lead content of some lipsticks came to light.
You can find the ingredients of all cosmetic products marketed on Shein by looking at the description of each item. If you search online, you will see which products are best avoided.
Is the textile industry causing cancer?
All brands in the “fast fashion” textile industry market garments that have been impregnated with a variety of chemicals for different purposes, such as to pigment them or make them more flexible.
The use of these chemicals is one of the things that ensures that garments can be produced on a large scale and sold at affordable prices, otherwise very expensive and more complex methods would have to be used.
There is still no regulation in any country in the world that indicates the amount of chemicals to which the garments are exposed, nor labels that warn of the risks of each chemical.
If you want to avoid clothes that have been exposed to many chemicals, avoid buying clothes made of materials that need to be treated, such as plastic, metal or leather. Instead, buy clothes made of natural fabrics.
Advances in the “fast fashion” textile industry
In recent years, a change of model has begun to be implemented, whereby recognized fast fashion brands (such as Zara) no longer use chemical substances included in the California legislation for the manufacture of their garments, although they do not indicate it on their labels either.
In the same way, they also try to use recycled raw materials thanks to the movement that seeks to combat climate change, if users begin to require brands to indicate specifically to what chemicals the garments have been exposed, they must do so to ensure their clientele.
Shein clothing: carcinogenic or not?
As we have said, due to the lack of regulation, it is difficult to know what chemicals our garments were exposed to and in what quantity, so we also cannot say whether they have carcinogenic substances or not.
In the meantime, we can reduce the risk by buying garments made of natural fabrics and try to avoid synthetic fabrics or those with a lot of pigments.
To find out what material a Shein garment is made of and what its composition is, you can look at the product details:
Shein’s social commitment
As we have mentioned, Shein is trying to become a more environmentally friendly brand, following the example of China, which started to strengthen its actions against climate change in response to the protests of people around the world.
In order to have a greater social commitment, Shein is focusing on using better raw materials and more respectful materials, stop using animal-derived fabrics and, as we have said, end animal testing. In this link you can find information about Shein’s sustainable practices for a healthier planet.
In conclusion, we recommend that whenever you shop at Shein or other stores, check the composition and ingredients of the products you are going to buy.
Research the components to have all the necessary information when deciding to make your purchase.
