Online purchases fail city's quality tests

More than a fifth of the clothing, silk scarves, shoes, bags and quilts checked by the city's market watchdog failed quality tests, authorities revealed on Tuesday.

In total, 15 batches, or 22.7 percent, of 66 batches of products bought from four online webcast platforms were substandard, failing for pH index, poor color fastness, fiber content and peeling strength, the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said.

A batch of jeans branded E·Land sold on Tmall failed for pH index, and such clothing could irritate the skin, the administration said.

A batch of silk scarves branded "Shanghai Story" was substandard for poor color fastness.

Dye in clothing with poor color fastness can bleed into the skin, which can lead to skin allergies, the administration said.

A batch of clothing branded Lily sold on the same platform failed for fiber content that didn't match what was on the label, according to the administration.

A batch of Mango skirts failed for peeling strengthen, while a batch of bags branded Disney sold on Tmall failed for their performance against oscillation and shock, an index revealing the bags' quality, the administration said.

Several batches of substandard products were bought from Pinduoduo, China’s largest interactive e-commerce platform, and Xiaohongshu, a social networking platform, according to the administration. 

The businesses involved have been ordered to suspend sales of substandard products immediately and clear stocks, the administration said.