"Up to a fifth of the club replica shirts worn by fans at this month's Champions League, FA Cup final and Championship and League One and Two playoffs are likely to be fakes - but potentially sporting a serious or even deadly hidden danger.Research shows a fifth of Britons buy fake goods - but one of the world's leading textile testing organisation is warning of a hidden danger in the estimated GBP500 million worth of fake football shirts that will be sold in the UK in 2008.
Manchester-based Shirley Technologies Limited (STL), which tests textiles for manufacturers worldwide, says that while the consumer's first thought is to bag a branded - if unlawful - bargain fake shirt from a market stall or online, the risk is not to the wallet, but to the health of thousands of people.
"Within days of Manchester United and Chelsea confirming their places in the Champions League final, unofficial merchandise - including shirts - was plain to see on TV coverage of fans at games on the Bank Holiday weekend," said Phil Whitaker of Shirley Technologies.
"There is no way the unofficial shirts could be fully tested in the period between the semi-finals and them first appearing. A fake sports shirt, no matter how convincing it looks, can contain a huge range of hidden dangers for the buyer and wearer - and be a death sentence for the maker.
"Only a few weeks ago, we saw the effect of an allergic reaction one woman had to underwear she bought from a high street store - and while something clearly did slip the textile testing net, it is unlikely that such a big name would buy from questionable sources.
"We test textiles and clothing for the major brands and retailers, and we know that some of the counterfeit shirts that will find their way into the possession of football fans are simply not tested for harmful content.
"A genuine branded shirt will be tested for its pH value - how much of an irritant the material can be, for harmful dyes - which may be allergenic or even carcinogenic, for extractable heavy metals - cadmium and chromium, and organo tin compounds and so on.
"That sort of content may show itself in a low profile way as a skin irritant to the wearer - or could possibly spark an allergic reaction in the worst cases.
"But as the consumer becomes more and more aware of organic and ecological issues, the key point is that the makers - and we have seen stories about illegal sweatshops on the Indian sub-continent - are exposed to a deadly chemical cocktail, all day every day, to produce uncertified and unofficial sports club merchandise.
"Many of these chemicals are shortcuts, and so too are the methods used to dispose of them as part of the manufacturing process: straight into watercourses and lakes.
"That is the extent of the hidden danger of counterfeit sports shirts," said Phil Whitaker.
(STL) is a UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accredited laboratory providing competitive, independent, expert textile testing, certification, advisory and investigation services across the traditional and specialist textile industries.
STL is an independent subsidiary of BTTG Ltd, formerly the British Textile Technology Group. With more than 80 years experience, Shirley Technologies Ltd provides unrivalled and expert reassurance through its technical services to a global network of clients which include manufacturers, retailers, the legal profession, police, consumers and related interest groups including Trading Standards. Highly qualified and experienced technical staff work directly with clients to ensure that they receive the best advice and service in a wide range of technical areas."
Via M2 PRESSWIRE
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