This photo, provided by E-Mart Inc., shows down vests made from waste plastic bottles.
SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — The overall quality of clothes made by recycling plastic bottles is generally good and there are no safety concerns, a consumer watchdog said Wednesday.
The Korea Consumer Agency tested the durability and safety of five recycled polyester garments produced by local sports brands that are now selling in the domestic market.
The test on whether they contained harmful materials showed that none of the products had any safety issues. The labeling of these products also satisfied the related standards.
Another test to check if their color changed with exposure to sunlight or sweat and if their form remains unchanged even after being laundered also showed that they satisfied the recommendation level.
All of the clothes also showed a good tensile strength, which is a measure of maximum force fabric can bear.
The consumer watchdog asked relevant authorities to include recycled material garments in the list of the clothes subject to environment labelling certification,
It also recommended that manufacturers indicate the usage percentage of recycled materials to ensure that consumers are properly informed when they make purchasing choices.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
