A growing recall of thousands of jeans, shorts and bed linen due to a carcinogenic clothing dye is nothing to be worried about, a cancer expert says.

More than 120,000 items of clothing have already been recalled by Australian retailers due to high levels of a hazardous type of azo dye, and more clothing could be yanked off store shelves in the coming weeks.

Myer pulled several types of children's jeans on Thursday while Target removed both infant and children's clothing and two lines of women's jeans.

Other retailers who have recalled jeans include Rivers, Just Jeans and Trade Secret while Pillow Talk removed pillow cases and bed sheets.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says chemical testing found high levels of the dye in the recalled clothing, which can break down into a carcinogenic substance that's absorbed into the skin.