The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 16th that among six goose down mattress toppers sold in the market, three did not meet the standards for the ratio of goose down to feather down.
The Consumer Agency tested and evaluated six goose down mattress topper products available in the market. The products surveyed included ▲ Doa Dream High Cloud Goose Topper (Doa Dream) ▲ Bountiful Poland Goose Topper Mattress (Rexfil) ▲ Sopraum Goose On Topper 2 (iFamilySC) ▲ Zaria Premium Goose Topper (Zaria) ▲ Cozy Nest On Cloud Goose Topper (The Cozy Nest Company) ▲ Crown Goose Goose Dual Structure Topper (GHCG).
The survey found that in three out of the six products, the ratios of goose down and feather down did not meet the labeling standards. Among the filling materials, Sopraum Goose On Topper 2 showed a goose down ratio of 35.5% in the lower layer, which was inappropriate under the labeling standard. According to the Korean Industrial Standards, goose down products must have a goose down ratio of at least 80%. The problematic products were manufactured in March 2023.
In terms of the composition ratio of feather down and down, the ratios of feather down and down in two products, Doa Dream and Zaria, were found to be lower than the values indicated on the products. In the case of Doa Dream, it reported a lower down ratio of 5% and down 95%, but the actual test results showed a down ratio of 4.1% and down 95.9%. Zaria, which reported an upper down ratio of 90% and down 10%, was found to have a down ratio of 86.8% and down 13.2%.
The down used as filling material, derived from the breast feathers of geese, provides heat retention and resilience, while feathers contribute to support. A higher content of down leads to differences in buoyancy and texture quality, thus it is mandated by the Korean Industrial Standards that the down content must be at least equal to the indicated value.
Upon checking whether the amount of filling material matched the label, only one of the six products was found to have a discrepancy. The product in question was Bountiful Topper, which had a difference in down filling amount compared to the label, indicating the need for improvement in labeling.
Evaluating the resilience, which is the degree to which it recovers when pressed, as well as the extent to which down and feather material escapes from the outer fabric, along with assessments of turbidity, residue, and odor for the hygiene of the goose down toppers, all products met the related standards. In addition, all products were found to comply with safety standards for home textile products regarding the presence of harmful substances (formaldehyde, arylamines) and pH levels.
The Consumer Agency recommended immediate corrective actions for companies that violated labeling standards. The sales and import company, iFamilySC, for Goose On Topper 2, agreed to improve labeling and offer refunds or exchanges to consumers who purchased the problematic products. The remaining companies also responded that they would state accurate figures on the labels.