Lawsuit Filed Against Shein in Germany Over Chemicals in Clothing — Der Spiegel

German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has filed a lawsuit against the online platform Shein with the Berlin Regional Court II over chemicals in clothing sold on the platform. As Der Spiegel reports, the lawsuit is based on a study by the Bremen Environmental Institute commissioned by DUH.

According to the study, seven of the 18 tested products failed to meet the limits established in the EU. In particular, the content of a substance from the PFAS group in a jacket for teenagers exceeded the permitted level by more than 12,000 times.

Excess levels in footwear

PFAS are used to give fabrics water-, grease- and dirt-repellent properties. Some of these substances may affect metabolism and the hormonal and immune systems, while some are suspected of being carcinogenic.

In a pair of boots, researchers found 179,000 milligrams per kilogram of the plasticizer DEHP, while permitted levels must be below 1,000 milligrams per kilogram. DEHP belongs to phthalates, substances with hormone-like properties that may adversely affect fertility.

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DUH demands and the company’s response

According to DUH, Shein removed the relevant products from its assortment. At the same time, the organization demands that the company sign an undertaking to refrain from such violations in the future. The requested injunction, according to DUH, should apply not only to the tested products but also to similar violations. Lawyer Caroline Borwick stated that for every future violation, the organization would ask the court to impose a monetary penalty of up to €250,000.

Shein called DUH’s demands excessive and disproportionate. The company said it had checked its entire German product catalogue for PFAS, strengthened seller requirements concerning testing for these substances, and expanded automated screening in all marketplace languages.

DUH head Barbara Metz said that since December, the organization has sent Shein six warnings, including over greenwashing, the lack of energy labels, misleading advertising, and banned chemicals in textiles.