In a recent swimwear fabric testing conducted by the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau, the level of cancer-causing chemicals (namely carcinogenic formaldehyde) were found to be four times the national standard – the inspection covered 32 products from 31 manufacturers, 8 of which failed to meet quality standards. Formaldehyde has been classified as a known cancer-causing substance and additionally colour fading can also cause skin conditions such as itchiness was also discovered in some of the tested garments. Retailers concerned about supply can find information at the Oeko-Tex website.
From Moontide 2015 Collection
Speaking to Mr David Cosgrove of the Australian Swimwear Company (owners of the Moontide and Piha swimwear brands), he commented: “As a company we do take all of the necessary steps to ensure this does not happen with any of our swimwear. Our own factory and every single one of our component suppliers has to carry and Oeko-Tex Certificate which ensures all of their products meets International Standards of Safety and no formaldehydes or AZO dyes are present in any area of production. All of our larger contract customers are well versed in this and apply vigorous texting and checking on everything and we follow the same path with our branded merchandise. We are probably one of only a few brands that holds the Oeko-Tex certificate in our own name as it is a very long and detailed process to achieve certification, expensive and with rigid audits. However it confirms our dedication to supply a safe and environmentally friendly product.”
