"No Safety-Certified Commercial Knitting Kits for Children Available"

Detection of Harmful Substances Such as Nonylphenol in Some Lines

On the 11th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that all 28 knitting kits for infants and children distributed in the market were found to have not received safety certification. Additionally, some of these products were found to contain harmful substances or have inadequate physical safety.

In an investigation conducted by the Consumer Agency based on the Special Act on Safety of Children's Products, harmful substances exceeding safety standards were detected in 4 out of the 28 products. Nonylphenol was found in 2 products, and lead was detected in the materials of another 2 products. Exposure to nonylphenol can cause reproductive developmental disorders, while lead can lead to reduced intelligence development in children, loss of appetite, anemia, and other issues.

Under current law, children's knitting kits designed to allow direct creation of shoes, hats, and other items for infants and children must be reported and labeled after confirming compliance with safety standards for each item if the primary users of the finished products are children under 13 years old. However, all products investigated were confirmed to be uncertified. In particular, to prevent choking or suffocation accidents, physical safety standards such as 'cords and drawstrings,' 'small parts attachment strength,' and 'ventilation holes' must be met, but some products were found to be deficient even in these aspects.

Based on the results of this investigation, the Consumer Agency plans to recommend corrective actions such as sales suspension to the sellers of the 28 uncertified products, share the investigation results with relevant government departments, and request strengthened management and supervision of knitting kits. Furthermore, consumers are urged to "check for the KC safety certification mark when purchasing children's knitting kits and pay attention to selection and production precautions."

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