Cancer-causing material in S. Korean jeans in dispute

A South Korean apparel maker said on Monday it will request another test on the results that showed its jeans contain three times more cancer-causing substances than the average.

According to data released by the Consumers Union of Korea, a pair of jeans from Basic House Co. had 88.8 milligrams of a cancer-inducing material called arylamine per kilogram of fabric, which was used in the dyeing process. The figure far exceeds the maximum limit set at 30 mg per kg.

The company, however, said the same product passed the standard set by the Korean Apparel Testing Research Institute in November and it will ask for a new test.

Meanwhile, the CUK warned that those who have sensitive skin should be careful when buying jeans that are bleached or dyed.

The research was conducted on 15 different jeans from 12 denim brands on sale in South Korea, including Calvin Klein, Uniqlo and Bean Pole, based on criteria including acidity, elasticity and detection of harmful substances.

The consumer body said Bean Pole jeans, produced by Samsung Cheil Industries Inc., and those by U.S.-based Levi Strauss & Co., earned satisfactory grades.



By Yoon Ha-youn, Intern reporter
(yhayoun@heraldcorp.com)