Consumer Agency Revises Recommended Quality Standards for Textile Products 4th Time... Adds Eco-Friendly Items

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 30th that the revised "4th Recommended Quality Standards for Textile Products" will be applied starting January next year.

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Established in 1997 and revised four times to date, the recommended quality standards serve as a basis for determining responsibility in the process of remedying damages related to textile products and are widely used for quality control by manufacturers and distributors.

In this revision, the testing methods were updated to reflect the latest laws and testing standards, and the standards were modified to be more consumer-oriented to enhance effectiveness. Additionally, environmental items were added in line with consumer trends favoring eco-friendliness.

Specifically, testing methods and test names from the latest domestic and international standards were incorporated into the recommended quality standards to clarify testing conditions, and some test methods were integrated or removed.

Reflecting the opinions of manufacturers, new test items such as 'saliva fastness (the degree to which dyes transfer to infants due to saliva)' for infant clothing were added, and quality standards and detailed test conditions were made more realistic by considering actual product usage conditions. For certain items like footwear, appearance-related criteria were added or supplemented.

A procedure was established to review the environmental aspects of products that have received eco-friendly certifications, organic certifications, or recycling certifications, which consumers have recently valued highly. Additionally, items such as synthetic resin products, footwear for the elderly, and mattresses were added to the category of 'products treated with harmful substances and flame retardants.' Laws and standards that must be complied with for each item were also listed so that when laws are revised, the corresponding items will be subject to the updated regulations.

The Consumer Agency stated that it will continue to enhance the reliability of the standards and contribute to the promotion of consumer rights through ongoing revisions of the recommended quality standards for textile products.

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