Consumer Agency: "Reusable Kitchen Towels Show Differences in Key Qualities Such as Absorbency and Durability"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] According to the Korea Consumer Agency's test of 14 reusable kitchen towel products favored by consumers, there were differences in quality such as absorbency and durability depending on the product, and price differences were also found depending on the blended materials used.

On the 13th, according to the Consumer Agency, when testing and evaluating the amount of water absorbed by the same area for each product, among the 14 products tested, 4 products (Scot reusable dish towel, Kakao Friends reusable dishcloth, Happy Areum reusable dish towel, Homeclean reusable multipurpose dishcloth) showed relatively superior absorbency.

Regarding abrasion resistance, which measures the degree of surface wear, 5 products (Monalisa reusable dish towel, Jalpullineunjip Dayclean reusable dish towel, Clean reusable dish towel, WiseWipe multipurpose antibacterial dishcloth, Homeclean product) were relatively excellent among the 14 tested products, and the remaining 9 products were all satisfactory.

Reusable towels are classified into pulp/polypropylene products and rayon/polyester products depending on the blended materials. The average price per 10 sheets was 510 KRW for pulp/polypropylene products and 1,253 KRW for rayon/polyester products, showing about a 2.5 times price difference between materials.

Looking at the price per 10 sheets by product, the Clean reusable dish towel made of pulp/polypropylene was the lowest at 333 KRW, and the Homeclean reusable multipurpose dishcloth made of rayon/polyester was the highest at 1,280 KRW, resulting in a maximum price difference of 3.9 times between products.

Some products omitted or inaccurately displayed labeling information. The Kakao Friends reusable dishcloth did not indicate the manufacturing date, and the Clean Korea reusable dish towel had a discrepancy between the actual raw materials used and the labeled raw materials, making it non-compliant with related standards.

All 14 tested products were made by blending some plastic materials with pulp or rayon, and there is a concern that plastic may melt and transfer when in contact with hot oil; however, related cautionary labeling was insufficient.

Therefore, the Consumer Agency recommended that reusable kitchen towels should not be used for wiping or absorbing hot oil during cooking and that this caution should be clearly indicated in the usage instructions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.