Safety Recall of Eight Styles of Clarks Women’s Shoes Due to Chemical Hazard

(BUSINESS WIRE)--C. & J. Clark International Ltd (“Clarks”) and some of its subsidiaries has announced the safety recall of a total of eight styles of Breeze (in the Americas) and Brinkley (outside the Americas) women’s shoes, all in navy or dark navy-blue colours and introduced for the spring/summer 2022 season.

The safety recall will impact the following styles: Brinkley Step in navy; Breeze Step in navy; Breeze Step in navy/white; Breeze Step in dark navy; Breeze Ave in dark navy; Brinkley Ave in dark navy; Brinkley Shore in navy; and Breeze Shore in navy.

This safety recall is taking place because testing of some samples of these shoes identified excess levels of the chemicals benzidine or dimethoxybenzidine, that are found in Azo Dyes and are restricted in some jurisdictions. Prolonged and direct contact with the shoes’ upper material can expose the wearer to these chemicals, which are toxic and can cause adverse health effects.

Clarks has notified all relevant regulatory authorities as appropriate and is launching a full global recall of the impacted styles. No other colours of the listed styles or any other Clarks products are affected by this issue or included in the recall.

Information for customers

Clarks is working with retail partners to contact as many people that purchased the shoes directly as possible.

Customers who have a pair of the shoes being recalled should visit http://tinyurl.com/ClarksRecall and follow the step-by-step guide to getting a refund.

Customers can identify if their shoes need to be returned by checking the article number in their shoes. The article number is the first 8 digits of the 12-digit number under the size and fit information and can be found on the fixed label inside the footwear.

Customers in all regions with any questions about their shoes or the return process are encouraged to consult Clarks’ online Q&A, available on our recall website or by contacting Clarks via e-mail: productrecall@customerreply.clarks.com.

Customers in the following regions can also contact Clarks via phone:

- USA - 1-800-480-5092 – Toll-free
- Canada - 1 800 480 5137 – Toll-free
- UK - 0800 088 2332 – Freephone
- European Union - Please visit our recall website for a list of EU helpline numbers.

Our opening hours for these regions are as follows:

- For the USA and Canada, the opening hours are as follows: 6am to 6pm Eastern, 6am to 5pm Central, 6am to 4pm Mountain, and 6am to 3pm Pacific.
- For the UK, the opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 11pm GMT.
- For the European Union, the opening hours are 9am to 12am CET.

Clarks would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to our customers.

About Clarks

Clarks, based in Somerset, England, has been at the forefront of innovative shoemaking since its foundation in 1825, when brothers James and Cyrus Clark made a slipper from sheepskin off-cuts. At the time it was ground-breaking; a combination of invention and craftsmanship that’s remained at the heart of what the brand does now.

In the Clarks archive of more than 22,000 pairs are shoes that have sparked revolutions and defined generations. From the original Clarks Desert Boot, first designed by Nathan Clark and launched in 1950 to the iconic Wallabee, each design has an instantly recognisable signature - a unique combination of craftsmanship and innovation that make it unmistakably Clarks.

Clarks is a global business operating retail, wholesale, franchise, and online channels in over 100 markets.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221103005262/en/