A Christmas quilt that was recalled in NZ last week has been allegedly linked to health issues in one Auckland couple. Photo / Composite
A Christmas quilt that was recalled in NZ last week has been allegedly linked to health issues in one Auckland couple. Photo / Composite
THREE KEY FACTS
Kmart last week urged Australian customers to return two Christmas-themed quilts after hospitalisations were reportedly linked to the products.
The recall was later extended to New Zealand, with Kmart confirming no health issues had been reported among Kiwi customers at the time.
An Auckland couple has now come forward to share their experiences after purchasing one of the recalled quilts.
An Auckland couple who experienced health issues after purchasing a since-recalled quilt from Kmart are urging others to return the product, which has been linked to two hospitalisations in Australia.
Last week, Australian media reported the retailer was recalling two Christmas-themed quilts - Anko’s Mr & Mrs Claus Reversible Queen Size Bed Quilt Cover Set and Christmas Elf Reversible Single Bed Quilt Cover Set - after customers who were exposed to the bedding allegedly suffered health scares.
Now, an Auckland couple has spoken exclusively to the Herald about their own health issues after being exposed to the Mr & Mrs Claus bedding, which they purchased from Kmart Albany on November 9.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were greeted by a “really strong chemical smell” when they opened the packaging.
“It was really pungent. We washed it a couple of times and [the smell] was still there. My partner mentioned to me at one point, ‘Maybe we should return it’, but the quilt was so cute, we decided to keep it and hoped the smell would go away,” he told the Herald on Monday.
Two of Kmart's Christmas quilts have been recalled in New Zealand following reported hospitalisations in Australia.
‘It was definitely scary’
Shortly after changing their bedding to their new Christmas-themed set, the man said his partner began experiencing “really bad headaches”, which she initially believed were due to her menstrual cycle.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old, who described himself as “relatively fit and healthy”, said he soon began wheezing and experiencing shortness of breath.
“It came on suddenly. I haven’t had asthma since I was very young, maybe 6 or 7 years old. Since then I haven’t had any issues, at least to this degree,” he explained.
“It’s really frustrating: whenever I do anything slightly strenuous, if I were to pick up something heavy or go for a quick jog, it’s the exhaling part ... it doesn’t allow me to take the next breath easily.
“It was really strange. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.”
Shortly after changing to the festive bedding, the man said he abruptly woke during the night with a racing heartbeat.
“I woke up one night feeling like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I didn’t know what it was, if it was a heart attack or panic attack ... it was definitely scary. My heart rate was going crazy.”
The couple returned the Kmart Mr and Mrs Claus quilt cover after news of the recall was published last week.
Concerned he could be suffering from an undiagnosed “heart or lung issue”, the man went to his doctor and explained his symptoms. He said the GP was unable to pinpoint a cause, and due to his age and overall health – plus not being a drinker or smoker – he felt his concerns were “essentially dismissed”, aside from a suggested blood test or X-ray.
It was then that his partner came across the Australian reports of hospitalisations linked to the very same quilt that was covering their bed.
“She was scrolling through social media and then she noticed, like, ‘There’s some symptoms you have that match what this article is talking about from the Australian [reports]‘,” he recalled.
The couple initially believed their symptoms could be linked to the presence of formaldehyde: a strong-smelling chemical often used in printing inks, dyes and textile finishing products to improve wrinkle-resistance and prevent mildew, as per Product Safety New Zealand.
According to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, “low-dose” exposure to the “pungent” chemical can result in symptoms such as headaches and shortness of breath or difficult or laboured breathing.
‘No formaldehyde has been detected’
Despite the couple believing their symptoms aligned with those of formaldehyde exposure, a Kmart spokesperson confirmed to the Herald the chemical was not to blame.
In a statement on Monday, the spokesperson said formaldehyde was not detected on the product during testing: however, a non-hazardous binding agent could be the reason for the intense odour.
“We take the quality of all our products seriously and are committed to addressing customer product satisfaction issues, which is why we have recalled the products across New Zealand,” they said.
“The information we have is that the odours reported are attributed to the binding agent used in the product, the curing process [for the dye] and humid conditions during production and storage before shipment.
“The supplier is an accredited textile producer and has supplied Kmart bedding for several years, and the binding agent used is not hazardous. The testing that has been conducted confirms no formaldehyde has been detected.”
After news of the recall in New Zealand was published by the Herald, the couple returned the sheets to their local Kmart for a refund.
“I don’t want to point fingers but this is the only thing I can think of that really matches my symptoms. If I had to put money on it, it would probably be this quilt,” the man said.
“[We want] to warn New Zealand people – if you’ve purchased this quilt, make sure you return it.”
The two Kmart quilts were recalled in New Zealand last week. Photo / Kmart
‘My house was stinking of chemicals’
The couple’s story is similar to reports that have emerged in Australia. Speaking to A Current Affair, Brisbane mum-of-one Eden claimed her Kmart quilt set smelled strongly of diesel when she opened the packaging.
“My house was stinking of chemicals,” she told A Current Affair. “After I had that small inhalation I ended up in hospital, not really able to breathe.”
Eden said an X-ray found she had inflammation of the heart and lungs.
Another customer, Holly, told the news programme she called an ambulance after being exposed to the bedding and spent the night in hospital. She also claimed she was forced to discard her washing machine due to the stench of the chemicals.
“No one would expect that you would go to Kmart for a doona [duvet] and then get so sick from it.”
Others who purchased the quilts in New Zealand have complained of a strong smell via the popular Facebook group, Kmart Mums NZ.
“After washing mine [it] made the smell 100 times worse,” one commented in the group, with another adding: “My one did not smell of gas but my boy got [a] massive rash as soon as I put this on.”
“I washed my one like five times and used a whole bottle of fabric softener then hung it on line ... could explain why haven’t been feeling well and why I ended up in ED [emergency department] with chest pain and tingly arm,” another member alleged.
However, others said they hadn’t experienced any issues with the product.
In a statement to the Herald last week, a Kmart spokesperson said anyone who has purchased the Mr & Mrs Claus Reversible Queen Size Bed Quilt Cover Set or Christmas Elf Reversible Single Bed Quilt Cover Set may return the product in-store for a refund.
“Regardless of whether they have experienced any issue, customers who have purchased the Mr & Mrs Claus Reversible Queen Size Bed Quilt Cover Set and Christmas Elf Reversible Single Bed Quilt Cover Set may return the product to store for a refund,” they said.
“If customers have any questions, we ask them to contact Kmart Customer Service on 0800 945 995.”
Lana Andelane is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist. She was previously lifestyle editor at Newshub, where she began her career as a news producer in 2019. She enjoys writing about music, pop culture, fashion and beauty.
