North Face's Korea operator to issue refunds after review discovers mislabeled 'goose down' products
Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 15:09
Updated: 06 Dec. 2025, 20:16
![A padded jacket from fashion brand The North Face [THE NORTH FACE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/06/868f6f89-ced2-4cce-af59-855d45c16ac4.jpg)
A padded jacket from fashion brand The North Face [THE NORTH FACE]
The North Face’s operator in Korea said on Thursday it would issue refunds after an audit found 13 padded products were mislabeled as using goose down when they were filled with cheaper recycled duck down.
Youngone Outdoor, which runs The North Face business in Korea, said it reviewed all down products sold online and in stores after a customer questioned the filling in a jacket bought on the fashion platform Musinsa.
The review identified 13 items with incorrect filling information, including several Nuptse jackets and vests, the Remaster Down Jacket, the Water Shield Nuptse Jacket, the Lofty Down Jacket, the Arenal Jacket and other padded styles.
The company said it corrected the labels and would notify affected customers individually about refund procedures.
“We feel responsible for the mislabeling and apologize for disappointing customers who trusted our products,” the firm said.
Musinsa said in a separate notice that it also examined all North Face items sold on its platform and confirmed mislabeling on the detailed pages of the same 13 styles.
It said an outsourced sales agency updated product data after new-season items were released but failed to revise earlier down-blend information.
Musinsa said it also plans to issue refunds to affected customers.
The issue surfaced after a customer asked about a jacket listed as containing 80 percent goose down and 20 percent feathers. Tests showed the product used recycled duck down, which is less costly than goose down.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG KI-HEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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