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Canada's garment makers tell politicians to stuff new padded bra rules
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-09-04 09:19 OTTAWA - New labeling rules for padded bras and other undergarments have Canada's garment makers and importers up in arms, an industry spokesman said Wednesday.
The regulation, similar to requirements for mattresses and stuffed toys and set to take effect next year, requires all upholstered articles such as bras and shoulder pads to bear a label stating the items are filled with "new material only." The regulation aims to "protect the public from the use of unclean or used fillings," the government said. It applies only to items offered for sale in three Canadian provinces: Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. But Bob Kirke of the Canadian Apparel Federation, representing hundreds of garment companies in Canada, said the rule is unique in the world and will harm domestic manufacturers and importers. They would have to make separate apparel with appropriate labeling for part of the Canadian market and register with each of the three province, he said in an interview with AFP. "It's an unnecessary burden on those companies," he said. "It makes sense for a pillow, a comforter, a mattress or a couch with a lot of loose stuffed materials," he said. "But there's no reasonable threat to people's health ... from clothes with a very thin layer of padding covered by material on both sides." "The lawmakers should revisit the entire regulations," he said.
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