Fast fashion provides an affordable way to cater to children who quickly outgrow clothes. However, new and early research suggests that some of these clothing may contain lead, a dangerous substance. After analyzing shirts from multiple retailers, undergraduate researchers found that all products tested exceeded U.S. federal safety standards for lead. Their findings also suggest that even brief chewing of these doughs (something young children often do) can expose children to dangerous levels.
The results were presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring Meeting.
Why researchers started studying lead in clothing
Camila Devers, who led the project, became interested in lead exposure after her young daughter briefly showed elevated lead levels associated with toy coatings before stricter regulations were introduced. Currently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission limits lead in children’s products such as toys and clothing to 100 parts per million (ppm).
Devers is currently working with undergraduate students in Marian University’s chemistry lab to identify everyday sources of heavy metal exposure and share that information with the community.
“We’re seeing more articles about lead in fast-fashion clothing,” Devers says. “And I realized that not many parents knew about this issue.”
How lead gets into clothing
Previous research has shown that metal parts such as zippers, buttons and snaps on children’s clothing can contain lead, which could lead to recalls in some cases. However, lead has also been found directly in textiles, including products sold to adults.
Devers said some manufacturers use lead(II) acetate as a low-cost way to bind dyes to fabrics and maintain bright, long-lasting colors.
Health risks of lead exposure in children
Cristina Abello and Priscilla Espinoza, medical and doctoral students at Marian University, took part in the study to better understand how fast fashion affects children’s health. They also wanted to combine research and advocacy on an often overlooked topic.
Exposure to lead at any level is harmful. It is thought to be associated with behavioral problems, damage to the brain and central nervous system, and other health problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified children under the age of 6 as particularly vulnerable.
“Children are not only the most vulnerable to the effects of lead, but they are also the ones most likely to put clothing in their mouths,” Abello says.
Tests reveal high levels of lead in children’s shirts
The researchers tested 11 shirts in a variety of colors, including red, pink, orange, yellow, gray, and blue, purchased from four retailers, including fast fashion and discount brands.
“We found that all of the shirts tested were above the permissible limit of 100 ppm for lead,” Espinoza said.
Across brands, bright colors like red and yellow tended to contain more lead than less bright colors. Although the sample size was limited, none of the items tested met U.S. safety standards, Abello noted.
Simulation of exposure by biting fabric
The second phase of the study simulated how children’s bodies process lead when they ingest or chew on clothing. They recreated the conditions in the stomach to estimate how much lead was available for absorption.
Using this data, they modeled the potential exposure from mouth-opening actions (e.g., sucking, holding, or biting dough). This result suggests that such exposure may exceed the daily intake limit for children set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Devers notes that these estimates are likely conservative. Still, repeated exposure over a long period of time can raise blood lead levels in children enough to require clinical monitoring.
Can laundry spread lead contamination?
The research team plans to expand the study by testing more clothing and analyzing whether higher lead content in fabrics directly translates into better absorption in children.
They also want to investigate how washing affects lead(II) acetate. This includes whether contaminated clothing can transfer lead to other items being washed and how detergents interact with the chemicals. One concern is that cleaning may create lead-containing residue inside the machine, which may require cleaning to prevent release of contaminants into wastewater.
Seeking safer dyeing methods for fast fashion
Researchers hope their findings will prompt more thorough testing of clothing before it reaches consumers, and encourage manufacturers to adopt safer alternatives in the dyeing process.
Options for fixing dyes without lead already exist and include natural mordants derived from tannin-rich plants such as oak bark, pomegranate peel, and rosemary, as well as alum, which is considered environmentally safe.
“But if you want to change technology in the clothing industry, it’s going to cost a lot of money,” Devers said. Without pressure from consumers or regulators, companies may have little incentive to switch to safer methods.
Raise awareness about hidden lead risks
The researchers ultimately aim to inform the public about a potential but often overlooked source of lead exposure in children’s clothing. By raising awareness, they hope to help parents and carers make more informed decisions.
Abello concludes, “Everything we do becomes important and useful only if we talk about it.”
This research was funded by internal grants from Marian University and Sigma Zeta.
