Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Shein Over Toxic Products, Data Risks

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a civil complaint in Collin County on February 20, 2026, against Shein US Services LLC and affiliated companies, alleging the fast-fashion retailer sold toxic products and failed to disclose that consumer data could be accessed by the Chinese government. The AG’s office framed the filing as part of a broader campaign, calling it the fifth anti-CCP lawsuit Paxton filed in four days and, in parallel, the second action against Shein in three months.

The complaint alleges independent laboratory testing repeatedly found garments marketed for newborns, pregnant women, and schoolchildren, as well as toys and other children’s products, contained toxic chemicals and heavy metals at levels that exceed established safety limits. Paxton’s office described those items as “silent carriers of poison” and said Shein’s business model prioritizes rapid production, high sales volume, and profit over safe materials and transparent labeling. The public summaries of the complaint do not name the laboratories, list chemical identities, or provide measured concentrations.

The suit also alleges Shein concealed a material risk about consumer data. The complaint points to Chinese national intelligence, cybersecurity, and data laws that can compel companies operating in China to provide government access to consumer information, and it alleges Shein’s privacy policy failed to disclose that possibility. Paxton’s office described Shein’s platform as a “data siphon leading directly to the Chinese government” and said sensitive personal information of consumers “can at any time be commandeered by the CCP.”

Attorney General Paxton framed the stakes bluntly in his office release: “Not only is Shein harming consumers with toxic synthetic materials, but it’s also exposing Americans’ data to Communist China. This must come to an end. Access to affordable, in‑demand clothing, children's toys, and products should not have to come at the cost of the health and security of Texans.” Paxton added the filing to a string of actions, saying, “This is the fifth lawsuit I’ve filed against companies tied to the Chinese Communist Party in four days, and the reasons are simple: In Texas, we will use every tool at our disposal to protect Texans from China’s influence and put America First.”

Shein responded with a formal denial and said it “strongly disagrees with the allegations.” The company issued a statement that reads in part: “At SHEIN, we take our responsibilities to our customers seriously and we are committed to providing a safe, secure, and reliable shopping experience. We strongly disagree with the allegations in the complaint and will prove our position in court. Like Attorney General Paxton, we are dedicated to protecting the health and personal information of Texans and all of our customers, and remain focused on maintaining our high standards for product safety and data security.”

The complaint was brought under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, but public summaries do not list specific counts beyond deceptive-practices allegations or detail requested damages or injunctions. Reporting to date also notes prior probes cited by news outlets, including a Paxton labor-practices investigation last December and a FashionUnited reference to a formal EU inquiry; those items have not been uniformly corroborated across filings. As the Collin County case moves forward, the outcome will hinge on exhibits and test reports that the public summaries do not yet publish and on how the court evaluates the allegations about product safety and data access.