Undergraduate researchers at Marian University have found that some children’s fast-fashion clothing contains unsafe levels of lead. Brightly colored fabrics, like red and yellow shirts, released the highest amounts in lab tests.
The research, led by Kamila Deavers, associate professor of chemistry, began after her daughter briefly showed elevated blood lead levels due to toy coatings. Now, Deavers’ lab focuses on identifying everyday sources of heavy metal exposure and sharing findings with the community. “I started to see many articles about lead in clothing from fast fashion,” says Deavers. “And I realized not too many parents knew about the issue.’
Students Cristina Avello and Priscila Espinoza, both pre-med majors, tested 11 shirts from various retailers. All exceeded the U.S. federal lead limit for children’s products. Simulated stomach-digestion experiments suggest that even brief chewing of these fabrics could expose children to dangerous levels of lead.
“Children are most at risk because they often put clothing in their mouths,” said Avello. “Our goal is to help parents make informed choices and raise awareness of a hidden hazard.”
The team plans to expand testing, examine how laundering affects lead content, and explore safer alternatives for dyeing fabrics. This work was funded by internal grants from Marian University and Sigma Zeta, and the results will be presented at the American Chemical Society Spring 2026 meeting.