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Formaldehyde: You thought you liked your lingerie "sizzling hot"...until now.

By Megan Roth

"We have strict quality controls around our products, and we do not use formaldehyde in our bras," a Victoria’s Secret spokesperson said in a statement.

Yet, the fashion retailer gave "hot" lingerie a whole new meaning when several Victoria’s Secret bras were sent away for chemical testing and tested positive for formaldehyde.

Now, we’re not accusing the company of lying, but we are saying that their smoking hot bras have become filled with more than just sex appeal. Somehow, someway, formaldehyde is making its way into the manufacturing processes of such items.

And it appears to have been doing so since way back in May, when a Victoria’s Secret customer filed a lawsuit against the company for “selling her bras soaked in chemicals that caused itchy rashes and painful burns on her breasts.”

The lawsuit was filed for fraud and negligence for selling unfit products, and the company was accused (by the victim’s attorney) of distributing dangerous and defective products and failing to warn customers of potential side effects.

What, exactly, are those side effects? Well, for Roberta Ritter (the customer who filed the suit), the side effects involved bright red welts, blisters, and an incredibly itchy rash. And Ritter’s not alone. Many other women have filed similar complaints and are requesting that lingerie superstore reimburse them not only for the bras, but also for the medical bills and suffering they incurred.

Ritter claims these women are eager to join the suit and class-action paperwork has been filed as a result of such complaints. Skeptical? Check out medhelp.org and see for yourself. There are dozens of complaints relating to Victoria’s Secret bras on the website, ranging from minor itching to permanent scars.

But despite the long list of victims, the case is at a standstill until May, when a judge will decide whether the evidence is substantial enough to move forward with the suit.

So what’s to happen between now and then? Roberta has quit wearing the bras (thank goodness for common sense!), which still line the shelves of Victoria’s Secret stores around the globe. The company continues to deny any use of formaldehyde in the manufacturing and distribution of their products and intends to continue selling them to saps such as myself until they are ordered to do otherwise (and, let's face it: the majority of us will continue buying (despite our better judgement) until a verdict is reached.

Yes, I can’t help but wonder: if a large-scale, reputable company such as Victoria’s Secret is involved with such problems, how many (and which) other clothing companies face similar issues that just haven’t been publicized yet?

Hmm…maybe I won’t go shopping tomorrow after all…

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Megan Roth

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on December 02, 2008 (boomark / email).