Lululemon Is Recalling 318,000 Women’s Tops – The Reason Is Far More Serious Than See-Through Yoga Pants

Lululemon has been forced to recall more than 300,000 women’s tops over safety concerns. Apparently, the drawstrings used in them can turn into a lethal weapon.

Lululemon Athletica, the company loved by men around the world for making yoga pants that reveal a lot than what they hide, has been hit with a recall order by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC). Evidently, the company delivered women’s tops whose drawstrings have been causing some injuries. These hard-tipped drawstrings have whipped some of the wearers in the face, causing injuries, stated the CSPC.

“When the elastic draw cord with a hard tip in the hood or around the neck area is pulled or caught on something and released, it can snap back, impact the face area and result in injury. There have been seven reported incidents, resulting in seven injuries to the face and eye.”

The government agency’s order applies to 133,000 tops in the U.S. and 185,000 in Canada. The tops vary widely in pricing. Some are available for $75 while some can go up to $260. However, they all include the lethal drawstrings that forced their recall. Lululemon gets its products manufactured in Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, and Peru.

Acknowledging the recall, spokeswoman for Lululemon said, “Our main priority is ensuring the product works for our guests, and we believe this is the necessary proactive action. We are committed to making our product right for our guests and regret any inconvenience this may have caused them.”

However, she categorically noted that the drawstrings didn’t cause any serious injuries, and the recall was more of a precaution than damage-control. As for the culprits themselves, Health Canada issued the following advisory.

“Consumers should stop wearing the tops with the elastic draw cord and either remove the draw cord or contact Lululemon Athletica to request a new, non-elastic draw cord with written instructions on how to replace the draw cord.”

Apparently the fault lies in the selection of the string material, experts believe. It wasn’t a wise choice to select elastic. Adding a metal or plastic tip at the end only adds to the risk. Elastic cords have a tendency to whip when pulled hard, and the tip can act as a projectile. Lululemon should have restricted themselves to using non-stretchable cord made from cotton or such other material. Under normal operation, one wouldn’t yank the chords, but enthusiastic customers might do so, resulting in a fast recoil of the elastic, causing the hard tip to hurtle back towards the face.

[Image Credit | Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images, CSPC]