Shein urgently recalls popular product over serious health risk

Online retailer Shein has issued a critical alert to anyone in possession of a popular product. The fast-fashion firm, which trades in clothing, accessories, and household items, has issued a product recall notice.

One of its products poses a significant health hazard as it may be contaminated with asbestos. Its Multi-Colour Ultra-Fine Quartz Sand has been recalled due to potential contamination. The product is marketed as sand for play, texture painting, vase-filling, room decor and art.

It is sold in clear bags and comes in shades of yellow, brown, orange and green. The item bears the Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) sh251116481135504969 and originates from China. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued a product recall notice for UK customers.

It stated: “The product presents a risk to health as the sand may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure.”

“The product does not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.”

Official guidance advised: “We recommend owners stop using this product immediately and keep it out of the reach of children.”

The OPSS provided disposal instructions for anyone possessing the product. It instructed customers to cease using the sand immediately.

“If the sand is still in its packaging, place in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store in a secure location out of the reach of children,” the OPSS clarified.

“If the sand has been used, clean up sites where the product was used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust. Wear gloves and a mask. Double bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths.

“Keep children and other people away from areas where the sand has been used until the area has been cleaned. Contact the distributor you purchased from for a full refund and dispose of the product in your general household waste.”

Shein has withdrawn the items from its platform.

Toys stocked across retailers, including Amazon, Tesco, M&S, Smyths Toys and Asda have also been recalled this week. They have all been reported to authorities as they may contain asbestos.

The toys include Stretcherz Toys that are described as stretch toys filled with sand-like material. They were stocked at Aldi, Argos, Asda, Smyths Toys, Tesco, TK Maxx/Homesense, and The Works.

Colour Day’s Sand Art activity kit, which is a craft toy containing 10 bags of coloured sand, 10 bottles, and tools, was available on Amazon and eBay.

Addo Play Limited’s Out To Impress Sand Art Creations is a sand art kit with multiple colours of play sand and plastic bottles. The product was available at The Entertainer, Tesco, Matalan and M&S shops and websites between August 2023 and February 2026.