Several Egyptian cotton sheet lawsuits have recently been filed against retailers Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walmart. However, one of those lawsuits was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti, who found that the product labeling was misleading. In addition to Walmart, other retailers that sell the Egyptian cotton sheets include Crowning Touch, Better Homes and Gardens, Canopy, and Royal Velvet.
Welspun
There are currently two class action lawsuits filed in federal court against the Mumbai-based textile giant Welspun India Ltd., which marketed its bed linens and towels as Egyptian cotton. Target and other retailers pulled them from shelves after determining that they did not meet their Egyptian cotton content standards. The companies are liable for widespread fraud that caused consumers to purchase faulty or contaminated bedding and towels. Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, a New York-based law firm, filed the suit on behalf of the American consumers.
The Welspun bed linens have caused consumers to pay a premium price for them. This is because Egyptian cotton has long fibers, which create a finer, softer, and more durable fabric. A court case in Missouri ruled that the company was liable for more than $5 million in damages, and a similar suit in New York has yet to be decided. The companies’ marketing practices may have contributed to the lawsuits, as Walmart and Target have discontinued their Egyptian cotton sheet programs and recalled products labeled as Egyptian cotton. Bed Bath & Beyond is investigating the issue as well.
Target
After the recent discovery of fake Egyptian cotton sheets, major American retailers have stopped selling them in favor of cheaper, less authentic materials. The supplier, Welspun India Ltd., is the subject of three separate class-action lawsuits. A recent suit was filed by Wal-Mart customer Dorothy Monahan against the company, claiming that Wal-Mart failed to recall products until Target stopped selling them. The company has vowed to vigorously defend itself.
A group of investigators from Target spent a summer inside its Minneapolis headquarters to investigate claims that it was selling counterfeit Egyptian cotton sheets. The investigation revealed that the company was misleading customers by selling them non-Egyptian cotton sheets under the Fieldcrest brand. Target did not know about the substitution, and it affected products produced by multiple vendors. Target has since refunded customers millions of dollars. However, the investigation isn’t over.
Wal-Mart
A recent suit against Wal-Mart alleges that the retailer mislabeled “100% Egyptian cotton” bed sheets. In her lawsuit, Dorothy Monahan says that the discount retailer broke both U.S. laws on labeling textile fibers and advertising. She seeks damages for herself and all other customers who purchased the same linens. The company says that it plans to vigorously defend its company.
The company behind the sheets, Welspun, was sued for mislabeling their products as “100% Egyptian cotton.” The retailer was found to have substituted non-Egyptian cotton for “100% Egyptian cotton.” After Walmart contacted Welspun, the company agreed to refund customers’ money. However, Walmart continued selling the sheets until just two months ago. Despite Walmart’s apologetic response, consumers remain skeptical about Welspun’s products.
Welspun’s other products
The discovery of the alleged fraud has triggered a wave of legal actions against Welspun and its other textiles, including bed sheets, towels, and shams. Target has suspended its relationship with the company after discovering that its Egyptian cotton sheets were counterfeit. Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart are investigating Welspun after discovering that its products did not meet quality standards.
Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond are facing lawsuits related to the mislabeling of their Egyptian cotton sheets. The lawsuit states that Walmart knew of the allegations from 2008 and began offering refunds. However, Walmart has yet to respond to the lawsuit and says it plans to vigorously fight the claims. After the Target discovery, J.C. Penney and Bed Bath & Beyond began reviewing Welspun’s records. In a separate case, Welspun appointed Ernst & Young to investigate its supply chain.
Pima cotton
Unlike another cotton, Pima cotton is extraordinarily soft. It is created from a plant that produces unusually long cotton fibers. Pima cotton is grown in the tropical regions of India and China and is considered the top-tier type of cotton. This softness makes it a great choice for bedsheet fabric. The following are some of the benefits of Pima cotton sheets. Listed below are just a few of the reasons why.
Both Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton are made of long fibers, which makes them both soft and durable. Pima cotton has a higher thread count than Egyptian cotton, which means less splicing and softer fabric. Both kinds of cotton have long fibers, and Egyptian cotton is more expensive than Pima cotton. However, Pima cotton is more affordable than Egyptian cotton and is often mixed with high-count standard cotton to increase softness.