Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) is recalling 318,000 items over concerns elastic drawstrings with hard plastic or metal tips are injuring customers’ faces when snapped back.
The Vancouver-based yogawear company issued the joint recall, along with Health Canada and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, on June 25 following reports of injuries across North America.
Health Canada was notified of five incidents involving elastic cords accidentally getting caught on objects and released into people’s faces.
Lululemon, meanwhile, received five reports about injuries in Canada and one report from the U.S.
A company spokeswoman said no serious injuries were reported and no lawsuits have been filed.
The company has sold about 185,000 of the affected tops in Canada and 133,000 in the U.S., however, the recall is for the drawstrings themselves, not the tops.
Styles include Lululemon’s Don’t Hurry Be Happy pullover, Wear With All jacket and Gratitude wrap. Most of the items were sold prior to 2014 and manufactured in Bangladesh, China, Indonesia or Peru.
In 2013, Lululemon issued a mass recall over sheer yogapants representing about 17% of its sales of its women’s pants.
Regarding the financial impact of the latest recall, a company spokeswoman said Lululemon has determined the drawstrings are “not material to our business.”
"Our main priority is ensuring our product works for our guests, and we believe this is the necessary proactive action,” Lululemon said in an email to Business in Vancouver.
“We are committed to making our product right for our guests and regret any inconvenience this may have caused them.”
