Don’t suck your loom band charm
The latest accessory craze in the form of loom bands and charms that can be made into bracelets could be hazardous to people's health.
POLOKWANE – The latest accessory craze in the form of loom bands and charms that can be made into bracelets could be hazardous to people’s health.
This information surfaced when a large toy retail chain in the UK was forced to take their loom band charms off their shelves as they contained 40% phthalates, which is a carcinogenic substance.
A carcinogenic substance is any substance or agent that tends to produce cancer.
It has been widely reported that two banned phthalates were found in the charms by the British Assay Office, which independently tests fashion and jewellery accessories.
A tester for the organisation said the phthalates got into the human system through sucking on it, and with the charms being woven into the bracelets, children and even adults could put the bracelets in their mouths.
In Polokwane, loom band and charms are being sold by big retail toy chains, small general stores and street vendors.
According to a saleswoman at one of the big toy chain stores in the city, the boxed sets (loom bands and charms) and lose charms “are very popular and selling like hot cakes”.
