The fast-fashion brand known for its copycat style is under fire on Twitter thanks to a tag that warns against cancer-causing carcinogens found in its clothing.
The tag is a protocol required by California Proposition 65, which requires that all products manufactured with exposure to chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive issues have a warning label. The warning is found in many of the brand's products and on its Terms of Service page.
Made famous by endorsements from celebs such as the Kardashians and other popular social media influencers, Fashion Nova has a wide reach. The brand is incredibly popular with more than 15 million followers on Instagram, so the repercussions of cancer-causing ingredients would be on an extremely large scale.
One customer posted images of a tag found in a bikini purchased from the site.
The lime-green suit included a tag that warned against phthalate, lead, and cadmium — all ingredients known to cause cancer. The customer took to Twitter to warn fellow shoppers about the harmful ingredients found on the nondescript tag.
After the news of these cancer-causing ingredients dropped, users questioned how clothing could cause cancer in the first place.
The risk associated with wearing clothing that contains these harmful ingredients is unknown, and according to the American Cancer Society, the label on these products will not detail the risk or location of the cancer-causing ingredients. The best way to determine the safety of a product is to reach out to the manufacturer and company directly.
In California the tags are so common that the concern for the message has actually diminished.
California law requires any place or product that contains these harmful chemicals to disclose it to customers. So in most coffee shops, airports, restaurants, and clothing companies, a disclosure notice can be found. While it's important to disclose when these chemicals are present, it could take away from the severity of the issue. A better solution would be not to source ingredients from carcinogens.
The swimsuit may have sparked this conversation, but it's certainly not the only product to be concerned about.
Many replied with images of their own products containing the warning tag. Specifically, Fashion Nova glasses are known to contain at least trace amounts of lead. Direct contact with lead has been known to raise the risk of cancer and is banned from homes and schools in most states.
One replier isn't surprised by the label and claims it's what's to be expected from the fast-fashion company.
Fashion Nova has had its fair share of scandals, including stealing clothing ideas from designers and celebrities. But this most recent claim is not something the brand is hiding or changing. It's clear that its stake in the fashion industry is strong, and with 15 million followers it doesn't appear that Fashion Nova will be going anywhere anytime soon.
After finding the tag, the original poster stated that she'd no longer be shopping at the brand.
This latest scandal is already causing some customers to flee. Out of concern for their health, some have decided to take their business elsewhere. The ingredients found in some of Fashion Nova's products are harmful, and despite the trendy affordable clothing, the health risk is too severe to some shoppers.
Someone replied to the tweet with a graphic of everyday products that also contain harmful ingredients.
Unfortunately, the list is seemingly endless when it comes to products that contain carcinogens in our society. That's why it is so important to understand where the ingredients in products are sourced from and what is going into and onto bodies.
Even though these tags are on most Fashion Nova products and in a warning issued in its Terms of Service, this viral tweet is what helped bring awareness to this issue.
One person replied, "Girlfriend saving lives." The original tweet called out the harmful ingredients that Fashion Nova warns against in its own clothing. While California Prop 65 and the warning tags aren't anything new, they are somewhat nondescript, and it always helps to have it called out in a viral tweet.
Of course, there were plenty of memes to go around about the scandal.
If anything, the original tweet calling out Fashion Nova's harmful products has helped to raise awareness about carcinogens in everyday products. Now run and check all of your trendy Fashion Nova pieces for ingredients like lead, cadmium, and more.
