The European Consumer Organisation issued a press release on June 5, 2012, claiming that PUMA’s official Italy Euro 2012replica jersey would contain nonylphenol and lead.

PUMA immediately initiated an own chemical, physical testing of the PUMA official Italy Shirt with an independent and accredited laboratory as it is part of PUMA’s company policy to follow up on all reports questioning the compliance of products to the company’s Restricted Substances List.

The results of this testing confirmed that the PUMA Italy replica jersey is within all legal regulations and fully meets the standards of PUMA’s own Restricted Substances List. The amounts of nonylphenolethoxylates (NPEOs) found in the product are considerably below PUMA’s own limits laid out in the Restricted Substances List and are therefore not dangerous to health and do not represent any health hazards.

Furthermore, the report by European Consumer Organisation claims that the jersey would contain lead. PUMA’s independent testing did not detect any traces of lead.

The manufacturer of the PUMA Italy replica jersey holds a valid OEKO-TEX 100 Certificate, which indicates full compliance to the strict Oeko-Tex Standard.

PUMA considers product and environmental safety as a core priority of its business practices.  Clear standards that follow the strictest local and international regulations and best practice standards for consumer care and safety are specified in the PUMA.Safe Handbook of Environmental Standards which also includes PUMA’s Restricted Substances List.  The company’s quality concept requires all products to be free of environmentally hazardous chemicals or harmful substances as defined by the Restricted Substances List which is updated on a frequent basis to ensure compliance to all relevant legislation and standards.

PUMA is an active member of the “Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals” industry working group and has committed to zero discharge of hazardous chemicals for all products across all pathways in the supply chain by 2020. Alkylphenolethoxylates (APEOs) and NPEOs are similar to soaps and are being used during the dying process.

APEOs and NPEs are one of the eleven priority chemical groups, targeted by the roadmap of the ZDHC industry working group and PUMA has advised its suppliers to convert to APEO/NPE free formulations.