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Children grow out of things before they wear them out, which makes cheap kids’ clothing very tempting in August and September. A school-term wardrobe from SHEIN can cost less than two T-shirts from a high-street brand. It’s also the category where I’d slow down the most, because children’s products are where regulators have been most active.
So this guide covers two things: getting the size right (which is easier than for adults) and the short list of safety checks that take five minutes and are worth doing on every parcel.
Quick answer: SHEIN kids’ clothes are fine for everyday wear if you size by height rather than age, avoid anything with drawstrings at the hood or neck, and treat coats, faux-leather items and novelty pieces with more caution than plain cotton basics. Independent tests in 2021 found a SHEIN toddler jacket with almost 20 times Health Canada’s lead limit, and CPSC commissioners called for a probe of SHEIN and Temu’s baby products in 2024. Check the garment as soon as it arrives, return anything odd within 30 days, and keep sleepwear and baby products to brands you trust.
Size by height, not age
Kids’ sizes on SHEIN are usually labelled with an age band, and the size chart on each listing gives height and chest measurements. Age is a bad guide. Two six-year-olds can be 15 centimetres apart. Use height first, then chest, and read the chart on that listing, because as with the adult clothes, the chart is per item, not per brand.
The old door-frame trick works. Stand the child barefoot against a flat wall, rest a book flat on their head, mark it and measure from the floor in centimetres. Take their chest measurement with a soft tape at the fullest point. Then compare both numbers against the listing’s chart.
Two practical points. Reviewers of SHEIN’s adult lines often say sizing runs small because it’s based on Asian size charts, and the same pattern is worth expecting in kids’ clothes. If your child is between sizes, take the larger one. Children’s clothes are rarely wasted by being a bit big. And my SHEIN sizing guide explains the chart logic in more detail.
What regulators have actually found
This isn’t a case against buying anything. It’s a list of the specific things on the record, so you can decide what risk you’re comfortable with.
| Source | What it found | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| CBC Marketplace, 2021 | A SHEIN toddler jacket with almost 20 times the amount of lead Health Canada considers safe for children, and a red purse over five times the threshold. SHEIN removed both from its app; Health Canada recalled the jacket. | Coated faux-leather and brightly coloured PU items deserve extra suspicion. |
| Greenpeace Germany, 2022 | Of 47 SHEIN products tested, seven broke EU limits on phthalates, formaldehyde or nickel, five of them by 100% or more. Fifteen contained hazardous substances at levels of concern. | Chemical content varies product to product; there’s no way to tell from a photo. |
| US CPSC commissioners, 2024 | Called for an investigation of SHEIN and Temu over reports of dangerous baby and toddler products, including padded crib bumpers and toddler hoodies with drawstrings. | Be most careful with baby products and anything with cords. |
None of these tests is a verdict on every item on the site. SHEIN’s catalogue is enormous, including third-party sellers (see my guide to SHEIN marketplace sellers), and the results come from small samples. They do show where the problems tend to cluster: coloured coatings, faux leather and PU, novelty items, and anything with a cord near the neck.
The five-minute check for every parcel
- Look for cords. Hoodies and jackets for younger children shouldn’t have drawstrings at the hood or neck. If one arrives with a cord, cut it out or send it back.
- Smell and feel. A strong chemical odour, or a coating that feels sticky or tacky, is a reason to return the item rather than wash it and hope.
- Wash before first wear. This is sensible for any new clothing, and especially for anything that’s dark or brightly dyed. Do it after the return decision, though, because washed items can’t go back.
- Inspect small parts. Tug buttons, beads, sequins and appliqués. Anything that comes loose is a hazard for a toddler.
- Check the label. Fibre content and care instructions should be sewn in. A missing label is a warning sign.
Where I’d spend, and where I’d skip
- Fine: plain cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts, leggings, joggers, school-style trousers and knitwear that will be washed constantly and outgrown by spring.
- More careful: padded coats, faux-leather jackets, bright PU bags and shoes. These are the types of items in the 2021 tests.
- I’d skip entirely: baby products and anything for sleeping babies, such as bumpers, loose bedding and sleepwear, from any marketplace listing. This is the exact category US regulators asked for a probe on.
Returns, because kids change their minds
Most clothing, kids’ included, can be returned within 30 days of delivery if it’s unworn and unwashed with tags on. The first return from an order is free, and a second return from the same order costs $6.99. So let your child try everything on in one session, hold back the ones that don’t work, and send them back together. If something arrives damaged or faulty, SHEIN’s policy gives you 90 days from the order date to raise it. Details are in my SHEIN returns policy, and if you’re after the cheapest way to do a haul, the SHEIN money-saving guide covers the shipping thresholds.
Frequently asked questions
Is SHEIN kids' clothing safe?
It depends on the item. Most plain cotton basics are low risk, but independent testing in 2021 found a SHEIN toddler jacket with almost 20 times Health Canada's lead limit, and the item was recalled. Inspect every parcel, avoid drawstrings at the hood or neck, and return anything with a strong chemical smell.
How do I know what size to order for my child?
Measure height and chest in centimetres and compare them with the size chart on the specific listing. Age labels are unreliable. If between sizes, take the larger.
Does SHEIN kids' clothing have drawstrings?
Some items do. US federal rules ban drawstrings at the hood and neck of children's upper outerwear, so any hoodie that arrives with a cord at the neck should be cut or returned.
Should I wash SHEIN kids' clothes before wearing them?
Yes, as with any new clothing. Just make your keep-or-return decision first, because washed items can't be returned.
Can I return SHEIN children's clothes?
Yes, within 30 days of delivery if unworn, unwashed and with tags attached. The first return from an order is free and later returns from the same order cost $6.99.
The short version
Size SHEIN kids’ clothes by height, stick to plain cotton basics, and do the five-minute check on every parcel: no cords, no chemical smell, nothing loose. Keep coloured PU coats and anything for babies to brands you trust. Cheap clothes are only a bargain if they’re safe, so return anything doubtful in the 30-day window. You can look through the current range on SHEIN.
Sources: CBC Marketplace lab testing of children’s and adult clothing, October 2021, and Health Canada’s recall of the toddler trench coat that followed; Greenpeace Germany’s 2022 testing of SHEIN products against EU chemical rules; the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s drawstring guidance and regulation for children’s upper outerwear; news coverage of the 2024 call by US CPSC commissioners for a probe of SHEIN and Temu baby products; SHEIN US Return Policy. Test samples are small and results don’t apply to every item. Read in early September 2026.