Almost every second piece of jewellery fails content inspections – what are you wearing against your skin?

Previous inspections have shown that many products contain prohibited substances – particularly jewellery that is worn directly against the skin for long periods.

According to the Swedish Chemicals Agency, around 40% of inspected jewellery items contained banned substances. For piercing jewellery, the proportion was even higher.

The substances include:

- Nickel, lead and cadmium in jewellery

- Phthalates and lead in toys

These substances can cause:

- Allergic reactions (especially nickel allergy)

- Long-term health effects

- In some cases, an increased risk of serious illness

Particularly concerning is that products are often:

- Labelled as “stainless steel” while containing other metals

- Sold quickly as trend products without adequate controls

- Attracting children and young people