BCBG Max Azria Fined $75,000 for Selling Dangerously Flammable Sweaters
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
announced today that AZ3 Inc., doing business as BCBG Max Azria (BCBG),
has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $75,000 to settle allegations that
it violated the federal Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) and Consumer Product
Safety Act (CPSA). BCBG, of Vernon, Calif., sold dangerously flammable
women's chenille sweaters and failed to timely report to CPSC, as
required by law, the sale of those sweaters.
From August through November 1996, BCBG sold or offered for sale about
3,000 women's chenille sweaters, made of 65 percent rayon and 35 percent
nylon. The sweaters were so flammable that, if ignited, they would burn
faster than newspaper. BCBG recalled the sweaters, in cooperation with
CPSC, in November 1996.
After the recall, BCBG should have rid itself of its inventory of
the sweaters, but instead kept some of the sweaters. In the summer of
1999, BCBG sold or offered for sale about 185 of the recalled sweaters
in its employee store, which is located in Vernon, Calif. CPSC alleges
that BCBG failed to timely report these sales to CPSC. BCBG conducted
its own recall of the sweaters in the fall of 1999. These sales and the
failure to timely report them were a violation of federal law.
In agreeing to pay the penalty, BCBG denied that it violated the FFA or
CPSA.
In cooperation with CPSC, BCBG is putting out notice that the sweaters
sold in the summer of 1999 are being recalled.
For more information about the recall, call BCBG toll-free at (877) 748-
2224.