Trust in Winter Outerwear Shaken by Recurring Down Filling Controversies (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — Recurring mislabeling of down insulation in winter jackets has once again stirred controversy in South Korea, prompting consumer groups to demand stronger oversight and tougher penalties for deceptive practices in the fashion industry.
The latest dispute centers on outdoor apparel giant The North Face, operated by Youngone Outdoor, which disclosed earlier this month that 13 of its down jacket products had incorrect labeling regarding the composition of their insulation materials. The company said it would issue refunds to affected customers who purchased the items during the mislabeling period.
The internal review was triggered by a customer inquiry relayed through fashion platform Musinsa, which discovered that the popular “1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket” listed its insulation as 80 percent goose down and 20 percent feathers, despite using a recycled mix of goose and duck down. A broader investigation revealed similar discrepancies across other products, some of which had been mislabeled for as long as two years.
The Korea Consumer Federation has filed a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission, arguing that the case constitutes consumer deception in violation of the Fair Labeling and Advertising Act. The group is also weighing collective dispute mediation or legal action, while urging authorities to implement industry-wide measures to prevent recurrence.
Consumer advocates say the problem extends well beyond a single brand. A recent inspection by the Korea Consumer Agency found that five out of 24 goose down products sold on fashion platforms failed to meet minimum content standards, while two items labeled as goose down were found to contain duck feathers instead.
Similar cases have surfaced across multiple brands this winter. Last month, fashion platform W Concept issued voluntary refunds after discovering insufficient goose down content in one of its products. Comparable scandals during the 2024–2025 winter season had already raised concerns, including reports of synthetic stuffing found inside jackets sold as premium down products.
“This is a problem that repeats every year,” said Jeong Ji-yeon, secretary general of the Korea Consumer Federation. “Without meaningful punishment for misleading consumers, there is little incentive for companies to fix systemic flaws in labeling and verification.”
The controversy comes amid broader public scrutiny of consumer protection and platform accountability, with calls growing for tighter enforcement and clearer responsibility across brands, retailers and online marketplaces.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
