About 80 Girls’ Vests with Drawstrings have been recalled by MIM-PI USA due to strangulation hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. The recalled Girls’ Hooded Sleeveless Vests have been recalled by the manufacturer MIM-PI USA LLC, of Orlando, Florida because the garments have a drawstring through the hood, which can pose […]
About 80 <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/product_liability">Girls’ Vests with Drawstrings have been recalled by MIM-PI USA due to strangulation hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.
The recalled Girls’ Hooded Sleeveless Vests have been recalled by the manufacturer MIM-PI USA LLC, of Orlando, Florida because the garments have a drawstring through the hood, which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. Fourteen years ago, the CPSC issued guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or becoming entangled on the neck and waist by drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. In 1997, industry adopted a voluntary standard for drawstrings that incorporated these guidelines. In May 2006, the CPSC’s Office of Compliance issued an announcement that such outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck would be regarded as both defective and a substantial risk of injury to young children.
Unfortunately, the CPSC guidelines are routinely ignored by the clothing industry, and that attitude has had deadly consequences for some children. From January 1985 through January 1999, the CPSC received reports of 22 deaths and 48 non-fatal entanglement incidents involving drawstrings on children’s clothing.
This recall involves Girls’ Hooded Sleeveless Vests with Drawstrings sold in sizes two through 10. The vests were sold in two colors: Blue with pink flowers and black with white polka dots. Both styles have a fake fur trim around the hood and a black sweater-like knit trim at the armholes and waist. The vests have an interior zipper covered by an exterior flap closure and a sewn-in neck tag that reads “mim-pi.†The recalled Girls’ Hooded Sleeveless Vests with Drawstrings were manufactured in China and sold at children’s clothing stores nationwide from January 2009 through December 2009 for about $70. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported.
Imports from China into the United States have long been making headlines for issues with defective parts and dangerous elements, including hazardous lead levels in children’s toys and products, parts that can break off and pose choking hazards to children, and problems with hooded garments with drawstrings that are considered defective and dangerous to children.
Recalls from products manufactured in China have also been associated with unsafe, sometimes deadly, medications, pet and consumer food products, and health items, as well as the ongoing drywall debacle that has been the culprit in untold numbers of cases involving homes across the United States plagued with corroding metals and offensive odors. In many cases the entire gutting of houses has been mandated to correct the problem.
The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately remove the drawstrings from the recalled garments to eliminate the hazard. Consumers can also return the vests to the place of purchase for a store credit. MIM-PI USA can be telephoned collect at (407) 492-8361 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s website at www.mim-pi.com.
