The Recall Desk
ModerateCPSC·23172·Announced 2023-03-31

The Laundress Fabric Conditioners Recalled for Ethylene Oxide Contamination

The Laundress is recalling about 800,000 fabric conditioner products sold nationwide from 2011 through November 2022 because they may contain ethylene oxide, a chemical carcinogen. Consumers should stop using the products immediately and contact The Laundress for a refund.

What this means for you

Minor labeling or packaging issue, or a voluntary precautionary recall. Risk of harm is low but real — follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The source explicitly states no illnesses or injuries have been reported, and the hazard is contingent on significant and direct long-term exposure. This is a precautionary recall of a contaminated consumer product with no reported harm, meeting the threshold for Moderate severity.

Plain-English summary

The Laundress, a subsidiary of Unilever, is recalling approximately 800,000 fabric conditioner products due to contamination with ethylene oxide, a chemical impurity and known carcinogen. The affected products were sold online through TheLaundress.com, Amazon.com, and other websites, as well as in stores including Bloomingdale's, Target, Nordstrom, and other major retailers nationwide between 2011 and November 2022, at prices ranging from $1 to $20. All recalled products have "The Laundress - New York" printed on the label. (An additional 13,000 units were sold in Canada.)

Ethylene oxide can cause adverse health effects with significant and direct long-term exposure. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date in connection with this recall.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fabric conditioners. Those who purchased the products on or after January 2021 can request a refund with a photo of the lot code or a receipt, or through their TheLaundress.com email address if purchased online. Consumers who purchased before January 2021 should contact The Laundress with a photo of the lot code and request a refund. Those who already received a refund through the December 2022 recall program should not submit a new request. Consumers can contact The Laundress at 800-681-1915 (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET), online at www.TheLaundressRecall.com, or through www.TheLaundress.com.

The recalled product

Product
The Laundress Fabric Conditioners
Category
Consumer Product — Laundry Care / Fabric Conditioner
Hazard
  • carcinogen-ethylene-oxide
  • chemical-impurity
Affected units
800,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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