Jin Wei usually buys clothes for her 3-year-old son based on price, comfort and style. She has now added safety to the list.
The 29-year-old Shanghai office clerk said she always reads clothing labels carefully before she decides to buy.
"Clothes containing toxic substances do people, especially children, a lot of harm. But this important factor is overlooked by many parents.
"Parents should be more careful when buying clothes, toys, food or other items for their children.
"I always buy children's clothes made from soft, permeable materials, Jin said.
Jin's fears are not groundless.
A recent inspection by the Shanghai Quality Inspection Bureau found about 30 percent of children's clothing were not up to standard.
The bureau checked 90 items of children's clothing at a shopping mall and supermarket. They found that a total of 29 items of clothing did not meet the national standard.
Only 57 percent of clothes for babies and 78 percent for children passed quality inspections, the report said. Some of the clothes were found at department stores such as such Wal-Mart and Isetan.
Most clothes had inadequate fiber content or unclear labels, and some contained excessive formaldehyde and high pH values (a scale that measures how acidic or basic a substance is).
Clothes with high or low pH values damage children's skin. Clothes containing excessive formaldehyde can cause children to suffer bronchitis, insomnia, and low natural resistance to diseases, an official of the bureau said.
Some clothes that failed the inspections are well-know brands such as Pierre Cardin and Benetton.
"Since well-known brands may also be producing dangerous clothes, I am very scared and confused about what I should buy for my little girl," Lin Jia, 27, said.
Wal-Mart said clothes that failed the inspections were returned to the manufacturers soon after receiving notice from the quality inspection bureau. They will not be put on sale until passed by the bureau.
