The results reveal alarming evidence that counterfeit apparel, footwear, and accessory products present serious chemical and product safety hazards to consumers.
A study by the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and Intertek found that 41 per cent of 39 tested counterfeit fashion products failed the US and international safety standards, exposing consumers to hazardous chemicals including phthalates, PFAS and heavy metals.
Many items were sold through social media and online marketplaces.
“Counterfeiting is not just an issue of consumer trust or brand protection, it is an issue of public health,” said Steve Lamar, president and CEO of AAFA. “These results, building on our 2022 study, show that counterfeit products, often purchased through unregulated third-party marketplaces, continue to pose real risks to American consumers. It’s time to act decisively to safeguard consumers from dangerous counterfeits. We call on policymakers to immediately address the very real dangers being trafficked online.”
The report includes four case studies drawn from the failed products, a list of all products tested, policy recommendations, and methodology.
Among the non-compliant items, eight products—accounting for over 20 per cent of all counterfeit samples—failed due to excessive phthalate content. One item contained nearly 327,000 parts per million of diethyl phthalate (DEP), more than 650 times above the permitted limit under AAFA’s Restricted Substances List. Additional failures involved PFAS, alkylphenols and APEOs, BPA, formaldehyde and heavy metals, with some products showing extreme levels of lead and formaldehyde. All identified substances are restricted or banned under AAFA’s RSL.
At least 25 per cent of the failed counterfeit products were purchased on or marketed through the Meta platform. These finding suggest that a high propensity of consumers are purchasing counterfeit goods through social media platforms, such as Facebook. This is one of the many reasons why AAFA has nominated Meta, and Meta-related platforms to be added to the US government’s Notorious Markets List (NML) for many years.
In AAFA’s 2025 comments to USTR on the Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy, AAFA nominated several online marketplaces, including Meta, Shopee, and Alibaba for inclusion in the US government’s Notorious Markets List. These online marketplaces continue to play host to not only counterfeit listings but also a web of fake advertisements, hidden links, fraudulent websites, and more, representing not only intellectual property theft, but also a real threat to consumer safety.
The results of this study, building on AAFA’s 2022 study, show that counterfeit products, often purchased through unregulated third-party marketplaces, continue to pose real risks to American consumers.
AAFA continues to advocate for stronger accountability across third-party marketplaces and social media platforms to stop the scourge of counterfeits that put consumers at risk.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
