MORE than a quarter of children’s clothing sold at 17 department stores across the city that were checked by the market watchdog failed quality tests.

Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau said yesterday they failed for excessive formaldehyde, poor color fastness, high pH index, which irritates the skin, and fiber content.

In total, 110 batches of children’s clothing were tested.

The Qingpu outlet of Orient Shopping Center had the highest substandard rate — 100 percent — among batches tested, followed by Life Hub @ Daning plaza, which had a 42.9 percent substandard rate for tested children’s clothing. Kerry Parkside and Jing’an Kerry Centre had substandard rates of 40 percent and 33.3 percent respectively, the bureau said.

A batch of children’s dresses labeled Petit Avril and sold at Life Hub @ Daning plaza was found to contain 114 milligrams of formaldehyde per kilogram, 39 percent higher than China’s national standard, the bureau said. Excessive exposure to formaldehyde can lead to headaches, dermatitis, respiratory disease, eczema and poisoning cases.

Four batches of children’s clothing were found to have a higher pH index than the national standard. The bureau warned that textiles with high pH index can lead to skin allergies, particularly for children.

A batch of skirts, labeled “Naturino” and sold at the Hall of the Stars in Hongkou District, was found to have a 9.1 pH index, compared with the maximum 7.5 under the national standard. Eleven batches had poor color fastness.

A batch of jeans labeled “mesamis” and sold at Printemps Department Store was found to have poor color fastness to rubbing, while a batch of skirts labeled “Hello Kitty” and sold at Longemont Shopping Mall failed for poor color fastness to alkali perspiration. Dye in clothing with poor color fastness can bleed onto the skin, which can be harmful, the bureau said.

In addition, 14 batches of children’s clothing were found to have fiber content that did not match their labels,

A batch of rompers branded “sigikid” and sold at Kerry Parkside was sold as containing 100 percent of cotton, which turned out to be 53.4 percent of cotton.

The bureau has ordered businesses not to sell substandard products and to scrutinize their stocks.