Rumor Control: Victoria's Secret bras are safe
As millions of women know, Victoria's Secret bras are safe. Nonetheless, you may have seen media reports or online postings that claim Victoria's Secret bras cause skin reactions. Because of our commitment to our customers' safety and satisfaction, we want you to have the facts. We hope that with the complete truth, we continue to earn your confidence in our products every day.
Litigation insights
- On Dec. 3, 2008, Limited Brands responded to the original plaintiff's attorney regarding test results, misleading public statements claiming that Victoria's Secret bras contain formaldehyde and the plaintiff's (Roberta Ritter) testimony about her unusual washing and wearing habits.
- On April 22, 2009, plaintiff Roberta Ritter voluntarily withdrew her lawsuit.
- Plaintiffs tried to strengthen their individual cases by having them consolidated for pretrial purposes. On June 16, 2009, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation rejected that maneuver finding that there were not enough similarities among the cases to combine them.
- After the original plaintiff, Roberta Ritter, generated national media attention with her allegations, several other lawsuits were filed claiming that Victoria's Secret bras had caused skin irritation. The majority of these were filed in the federal court in Ohio by the law firm, Climaco, Lefkowitz, Peca, Wilcox & Garofoli, Co., LPA. On Aug. 6, 2009, all of these cases were voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs at the suggestion of their counsel. Victoria's Secret did not compensate these plaintiffs in any way.
Our commitment to quality
As the world’s leading lingerie brand, millions of women trust us for our safe, high-performing bras that offer world-leading comfort, fit and durability. To ensure this safety, every step of the manufacturing process – from yarn to finished goods – is audited against strict quality guidelines.
- We carefully select the types of raw materials used in our bras. We adhere to apparel industry guidelines that avoid problematic ingredients. Specific individual reactions to some ingredients cannot always be predicted.
- We use only top-quality raw material suppliers – a majority of which are voluntarily certified by Oeko Tex (one of the most stringent textile guidelines in the world). Several of our manufacturing partners are also Oeko Tex certified. Oeko Tex restricts the use of specific ingredients in textiles.
- In our design process, we conduct internal and external wash and wear tests as part of our process. This testing includes literally hundreds of customers and associates who wear our bras, wash them and then provide feedback in regard to fit, quality, comfort and durability before a new product is introduced.
FAQs on textile allergies: uncommon but possible
- Can I get a skin irritation from clothing?
- Could the skin irritation I have be caused by your product?
- I think I may have a skin irritation. What should I do?
- Who can I talk with at the company about the skin irritation I have?
- What are some common skin problems that individuals may develop in relation to the clothing they wear?
For our customers
Customer safety and satisfaction are always our primary concerns, and we take very seriously any issues our customers may have with our products. If you ever have a concern with a Victoria's Secret product, please let us know. Our customer care center representatives care about your experience and are happy to help: 800-411-5116 or Service@VictoriasSecret.com.