Every school season, covering new books with book covers is a common choice for many families with elementary school children. Several years ago, the issue of "toxic book covers" attracted public attention. In 2023, Toxics-Free Corps tested commercially available PVC book covers and found that 9 out of 10 samples exceeded the standard for phthalates, and 5 exceeded the standard for short-chain chlorinated paraffins. Two years later, are the plastic book covers commonly used by children safer? In September 2025, Toxics-Free Corps launched another investigation into plastic book covers.
Plastic book covers may contain harmful substances such as phthalates, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, formaldehyde, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Phthalate, often used as plasticizers, is particularly common in PVC and is a typical endocrine disruptor that may affect children's growth and development. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins are persistent organic pollutants, characterized by their resistance to environmental degradation and bioaccumulation, and may also lead to risks such as developmental delays, reproductive disorders, and endocrine imbalances.
Based on the results of previous investigations, this investigation focused on the content of phthalates and short-chain chlorinated paraffins in book covers. In October 2025, Toxics-Free Corps conducted searches on five mainstream e-commerce platforms, including Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin Mall, and Kuaishou Mall, using the keyword "primary school student book covers" and sorted them by sales volume. Each platform selected the top 10 plastic book cover products, totaling 50 samples.
The samples collected were all products advertised as suitable for primary school students on the product pages, and products explicitly labeled as being made of non-PVC materials such as PP or CPP were excluded during sampling. However, upon receiving the actual products, it was found that some products were still labeled as being made of PP or CPP. All samples were sent to a qualified third-party testing institution for testing of phthalate and short-chain chlorinated paraffin content according to relevant national standards.
Example of book covers (left side is a self-adhesive book film, right side is a book sleeve).
Survey results: Mainstream primary school book covers meet the standards overall, but the use of PVC materials and loopholes in the standards still warrant attention.
The test results showed that phthalates and short-chain chlorinated paraffins were not detected in any of the 50 plastic book cover samples submitted for testing, achieving a compliance rate of 100%.
In terms of product type, the samples mainly included self-adhesive book films and book sleeves, with self-adhesive book covers being the most numerous. Although products explicitly labeled as PP or CPP material on their websites were excluded during sampling, upon receiving the actual products, it was found that 29 products are still labeled as PP or CPP material on their packaging or the products themselves. Overall, the material risks of mainstream plastic book covers currently sold to primary school students have significantly decreased, and product labeling is relatively complete; only 4 samples lacked crucial information such as the manufacturer, manufacturer's address, or applicable standards.
However, this does not mean that plastic book covers can be purchased indiscriminately. Given the high risks associated with PVC book covers in 2023, Toxics-Free Corps purchased five additional book covers explicitly labeled as PVC material on their websites for testing, using "PVC book cover" as a keyword. The results showed that three of them tested positive for phthalates, specifically DEHP. According to GB 21027-2020 "General Safety Requirements for Student Supplies," the highest detected value exceeded the standard limit by 112 times, indicating that PVC book covers still pose a significant risk of phthalate exceedance.
Meanwhile, the supplementary investigation also revealed loopholes in the implementation of the standard: GB 21027-2020 mainly applies to student supplies for children aged 14 and under. If some PVC book covers do not clearly indicate the applicable age or claim that they are not student supplies, they may circumvent the mandatory standard; however, in real life, such products may still be purchased and used by children, thus posing health risks.
Therefore, the safety of plastic book covers cannot be judged solely by whether the test results of mainstream products are generally positive; it is also necessary to continuously pay attention to issues such as high-risk materials, product labeling, and the scope of applicable standards.
Our recommendations: Reduce the use of PVC, strengthen labeling and regulation.
Toxics-Free Corps recommends that consumers prioritize products with complete labeling that clearly indicates the material, applicable age, and applicable standards when purchasing book covers for their children, and try to avoid buying book covers made of PVC. At the same time, it's also helpful to cultivate children's habit of caring for books, reducing the use of disposable plastic book covers, or choosing reusable book covers.
E-commerce platforms should require merchants to clearly display key information such as material, target audience, and applicable standards on product pages to avoid misleading consumers with vague advertising. Manufacturers should not produce plastic book covers with excessive levels of harmful substances. Even if a product is not explicitly labeled as a children's product, they should consider the real-world scenarios in which children may use it and strengthen raw material testing and supply chain management. Market regulators should pay closer attention to PVC book covers during random inspections of school supplies, especially focusing on products with unclear labeling, ambiguous material descriptions, and those that may be used by students.
Overall, the safety of plastic book covers has improved, but PVC material remains a risk point that requires attention. Children's frequently used school supplies cannot simply be "safe in appearance," but must truly withstand scrutiny in terms of materials, labeling, standards, and regulation.
