Fashion Nova swimwear comes with label warning ingredients can cause cancer and birth defects

The swimsuit 'can expose you to Di(2-ethylhexyl), phthalate, lead and cadmium'

Fashion Nova swimsuit has cancer warning (Fashion Nova)

Online fashion retailer Fashion Nova is being criticised for using potentially dangerous ingredients linked to cancer and birth defects in its swimsuits.

On Monday, a customer shared an image of the inside tag on her bikini to Twitter, and wrote: “Did y’all know this tag is in Fashion Nova swimsuits?”

The tag, which is sewn into the neon green swimsuit, reads: “Warning. This product can expose you to Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, lead and cadmium, which are known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm.”

The warning also includes a link to a website run by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment for more information about Proposition 65.

According to the website, the proposition requires businesses to provide warnings to California residents about “significant exposures to chemicals” that may result in cancer or reproductive harm.

The list applies to both naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals, such as dyes and solvents.

On Twitter, where the woman’s tweet has since been liked more than 11,000 times and shared more than 7,000 times, customers are expressing their shock over the warning.

“Imagine all the clothing lines that don’t warn you about the toxic chemicals they use/produce,” one person wrote.

Another said: “This is actually insane though, please return anything with this label.”

Some people blamed the rise in fast fashion, which is clothing produced quickly and inexpensively to keep up with ever-changing trends.

“Cheap fashion comes at a price,” one person wrote.

However, others have pointed out that the labels are common in California, and are posted on everything from furniture to fast food restaurants and apartment buildings.

According to Fashion Nova’s website, where the warning is not listed, the $34.99 bikini is made from 82 per cent nylon and 18 per cent spandex.

The Independent has contacted Fashion Nova for comment.