South Korea warns fashion brands over false ‘eco leather’ claims
Four fashion brands in South Korea have received official warnings for using misleading environmental claims to market synthetic leather products, according to reports in local media.
The country’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced on May 15 that it had sanctioned Musinsa (Musinsa Standard), SHINSUNG TONGSANG (Topten), Eland World (Miso, Spao), and ITX Korea (Zara) for promoting products made with polyurethane and other petroleum-based materials as 'eco leather' or 'eco-friendly'.
The FTC found that the products used ordinary synthetic leather fabrics without any recognised eco-certification or environmentally friendly processing. It said the repeated use of terms such as ‘eco’ and ‘eco-friendly’ risked misleading consumers, especially given the environmental impact of polyurethane during its production and disposal.
The case is the first major enforcement action under revised environmental advertising guidelines introduced in August 2024.
While all four companies have voluntarily amended or removed the marketing terms in question, the FTC said it would continue monitoring for greenwashing and would take tougher action in future cases.
