Wal-Mart slapped with lawsuit over fake Egyptian cotton sheets
It's been two months since Walmart removed sheet sets falsely labeled as "100 percent Egyptian cotton" from its stores. The retailer offered customers a refund for the linens, which Walmart acknowledged "may contain non-Egyptian cotton fibers."
Now, a Michigan woman is suing Walmart for continuing to sell the so-called premium Egyptian cotton sheets — made by Welspun India Ltd. — for several years after the retailer first questioned the linens' fiber content, Reuters reports.
According to the complaint filed by Dorothy Monahan with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Walmart became suspicious of the origin of the sheet fibers way back in 2008, but failed to pull the sheets from stores until Sept. 9, after Target announced it was removing the falsely labeled linens from its shelves.
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The sheet sets were sold under the Better Homes and Gardens and Canopy brands.
The complaint accuses Walmart of violating U.S. laws regulating advertising and textile fiber labeling, and seeks damages for consumers who purchased the so-called Egyptian cotton sheets.
"We plan to vigorously defend the company," a Walmart spokesman tells Reuters.
Long-fiber cottons like Egyptian and Pima typically command premium prices because they're often perceived to be softer and more durable than other cottons.
What do you think of Walmart's actions regarding the falsely labeled sheets? Sound off below or on Facebook.
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