The discoveries were made during an investigation by authorities in Guangdong, the heartland of the export industry, the China Daily reported.
Just 53.5 percent of garments that were checked met safety standards. Many contained excess amounts of formaldehyde, a chemical that can cause skin and respiratory infections.
As for children's furniture, 67.7 percent of it was deemed safe, with some of the questionable products containing too much formaldehyde or health- endangering heavy metals, including lead, cadmium and chromium.
"The main reason for the excessive content of formaldehyde and heavy metals is the use of sub-standard raw materials and paints," said Lin Ruixi, a spokesman for Guangdong's product safety administration.
But investigators said that 95 percent of toys made in Guangdong were safe.
The reputation of China's poorly regulated and corruption-plagued manufacturing industry has been deeply tarnished in recent years by safety scandals involving dangerous foods, toys and other products.
Millions of toys made in China - the world's largest producer - have been recalled globally in recent years amid fears they were made with toxic lead paints or had design flaws.
