Scientists in New Zealand have found formaldehyde, which is used to give clothing a permanent press and to prevent mildew, at levels of up to 500 times greater than that considered safe for humans in woolen and cotton clothing made in China.

Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that exposure to concentrations of formaldehyde of 20 parts per million (ppm) can cause eye, skin and nasal irritation, respiratory problems, asthma, and cancer. Consumers normally are advised to wash and air clothing before wearing it for the first time.

Initially, researchers thought they must have made some mistake when they saw the results of the tests they performed on a variety of different clothing items.

“Our results were shocking, ranging from 230ppm to 18,000ppm. This is almost unbelievable. Some of the clothes [we] tested have a reading 900 times the level that actually causes harm.”

China’s response to revelations that its products may be unsafe or even deadly?

[L]i Changjiang, head of China’s safety watchdog, claimed the product safety scares were “a new trend of trade protectionism”, and accused some governments of “demonising China’s products”.