Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened a formal investigation into Hanes and Fruit of the Loom over potentially hazardous substances in children's clothing and undergarments. The state has demanded data from both companies as part of the probe.

The investigation marks an escalation in regulatory scrutiny of the US apparel sector. It follows Paxton's high-profile probe and subsequent lawsuit against Shein, which targeted unethical labour practices, data privacy concerns, and alleged toxic chemical presence in low-cost garments.

For suppliers and brands shipping childrenswear into Texas, the demand for data turns chemical compliance from a documentation exercise into a disclosure obligation.

Which brands are in scope?

The investigation names two of the largest US innerwear and childrenswear brands. Hanes and Fruit of the Loom both must now produce information on the potential presence of toxic chemicals in their children's apparel and undergarment lines.

Neither company's response to the data demand appears in the announcement. The scope covers products sold into the Texas market.

What does the probe follow?

The action extends Paxton's earlier campaign against fast-fashion supply chains. His office previously investigated Shein and then sued the company, citing unethical labour practices, data privacy concerns, and alleged toxic chemical presence in low-cost garments.

The Shein lawsuit signalled that a state attorney general would pursue apparel supply-chain conduct directly. The new probe applies that approach to established US mass-market brands.

Why does this matter for sourcing teams?

Children's apparel already carries the strictest chemical restrictions in most product safety regimes. A state-level demand for supplier data adds a second layer of exposure on top of federal rules.

Brands sourcing childrenswear should expect:

• data requests reaching back through tier-two chemical inputs, not just finished-goods testing certificates;
• state attorneys general using consumer-protection authority against apparel supply chains;
• reputational and legal risk attaching to undergarments, a category often treated as low-scrutiny.

What should compliance teams do now?

Suppliers to Hanes and Fruit of the Loom should assume their chemical input records will be part of any data production. The decision the news forces: verify restricted-substance documentation across childrenswear and underwear lines before a subpoena does it for you.