Victoria's
Secret sued over bra allergies
Posted: 14 November 2008 1253 hrs
NEW YORK - US lingerie firm Victoria’s Secret is being
sued by dozens of American women who claim their bras
are causing them painful rashes.
Roberta Ritter, 37, who had developed “welts that were
very red, hot to the touch, extremely inflamed,
blistery”, claims to have been left permanently scarred
after wearing the Angel Secret Embrace Bra.
She filed for a law suit against Victoria’s Secret in
May.
And Ritter isn't alone. Her lawyers said they have
received "well over 200 inquiries" from women who
experienced the same symptoms.
Ritter’s lawyers purchased the same type of bras and
sent them to the lab for tests. Formaldehyde which is
used in the textile industry to make fabrics
crease-resistant, was detected in the bras.
The lawyers believe the rashes might have been caused by
an allergic reaction to formaldehyde.
Victoria's Secret, however, has denied using
formaldehyde in its bras.
"We have strict quality controls around our products,
and we do not use formaldehyde in our bras," the company
said in a statement.
"We are sorry that a small number of people have had an
issue," a spokesman for the company said.
"Customer safety and satisfaction are always our primary
concerns and we take seriously any issues that our
customers may have with our products."
