2007 Samara Brothers Inc Recall Notification

In 2007 the manufacturer of children’s clothing, Samara Brothers Inc., of Edison, N.J., created this website to notify consumers of a recall of their child’s three-piece short set and their boys’ heavyweight jacket. Once the recalls were over, the site’s domain was not renewed. There were several iterations of the site created by various buyers of the domain that had nothing to do with the original intent of the site. When I recently discovered that the domain was available, I bought it with the intent of restoring some of its original content found in its archived pages. These particular recalls are over, however I believe that consumers should remain aware of them, if for no other reason than for historical purposes.

I certainly was glad that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission discovered the lead poisoning hazard associated with the Samara Brothers boy's jackets. I work for a software company where I am part of a team provides help with Salesforce integration marketing software for concierge medicine practices. We were in the middle of a job for a new medical practice. We had just installed Salesforce which is considered the CRM gold standard and has the only CRM software specifically designed for healthcare. Having said that, Salesforce still needs to be customized for the specific business's needs. We were about to start creating custom apps so the doctors and their back of the house staff so they would have exactly what they needed for running their concierge practice, when one of my team members alerted me to the recall. I immediately got in touch with my wife who checked our boys' jackets and discovered that they were part of the Consumer Product Safety Commission recall. Let me say, those jackets were out of the closet and inaccessible to our kids in no time. We received a refund, but I thought it was appalling that not only were the Samara Brothers boy's jackets recalled, but that they also had two other products for young children that needed to be recalled due to lead poisoning issues. Thank goodness we have such agencies as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

 

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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Under the agency’s jurisdiction, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injur yand / or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the US more than $1 trillion annually.

Committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard, CPSC's work helps ensure the safety of consumer products in the US. Their oversight has contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Federal law bars any person / manufacturer from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

2007 Samara Brothers Recalls

In 2007 Samara Brothers had at least three CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) recalls because of various issues with their children's clothing:

  • 2007 Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Jackets Due to Lead Poisoning Hazard
  • 2007 Samara Brothers Recalls Children's Two-Piece Overall Sets, Snaps Contain Lead
  • 2007 Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Three-Piece Short Set Due to Choking Hazard

Below is the information found on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website for each of these products.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

 

Samara 2007 Recall Notifications

 



 

Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Jackets Due to Lead Poisoning Hazard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2007
Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 985-9975
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Jackets Due to Lead Poisoning Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of product: Heavyweight Outerwear Jackets
Units: About 8,000
Manufacturer: Samara Brothers LLC, of New York, N.Y.
Hazard: The snap closures on the outerwear jackets contain excessive amounts of lead, which poses a lead poisoning hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves boy's outerwear jackets with a Carter's-brand logo on the front. The jackets were sold in toddler and boy's sizes. Toddler sizes range from 2T to 4T. Boy's sizes include S, M and L. The outerwear jackets were sold in charcoal, navy and red.
Sold at: Major department stores and discount department stores nationwide from October 2006 through November 2006 for up to $50.<
Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the products immediately and contact Samara Brothers to obtain a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Samara Brothers at (800) 985-9975 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, visit the firm's Web site at www.samarajacketrecall.com or e-mail the firm at info@samararecall.com

 



 

 

Samara Brothers Recalls Children's Two-Piece Overall Sets, Snaps Contain Lead

January 5, 2007
Alert #07-516

Samara Brothers Recalls Children's Two-Piece Overall Sets, Snaps Contain Lead

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Starting Out Shirt and Overalls
Units: About 200
Manufacturer: Samara Brothers LLC, of New York, N.Y.
Hazard: The coatings on the snaps in the overalls and shirt contain excessive amounts of lead, posing a serious risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to young children.
Incidents/Injuries: No incidents or injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves two styles of children's overall sets. One set is a red plaid denim overall with a white shirt trimmed in red, sold in sizes 12 through 24 months. The other set is a navy blue corduroy overall with a white shirt trimmed in green, sold in sizes 3 through 9 months. Both styles have decorative train appliqués on the front of the overalls. The collar tag of the overalls reads, "Starting Out."
Sold Exclusively at: Dillard's nationwide during October 2006 for about $20 for the red overalls set and about $25 for the blue corduroy set.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the products immediately and contact Samara to obtain a full refund.
Manufactured in: China

Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Samara Brothers at (800) 985-9975 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.samararecall.com, or e-mail the firm at info@samararecall.com

 



 

Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Three-Piece Short Set Due to Choking Hazard

May 16, 2007
Alert #07-548

Samara Brothers Recalls Boys' Three-Piece Short Set Due to Choking Hazard

The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Three Piece Short Sets
Units: About 720
Manufacturer: Samara Brothers LLC, of New York, N.Y.
Hazard: The decorative fish buttons on the shorts and shirt could detach, posing a choking hazard.
Incidents/Injuries: No incidents or injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves a boys' three piece shorts set. The set consists of green plaid shorts, a polo-style solid shirt trimmed with a blue and green stripe, and a green plaid hat. The short sets were sold in three sizes: 2T, 3T and 4T. The style numbers are 20873H94 GRN and 40873H94 GRN, which was written on the hangtag attached. The brand is "Sam Says," which is written on the collar tag of the shirt.
Sold: Through major department and discount department stores nationwide from April 2006 through March 2007 for between $8 and $20.
Manufactured in: Bangladesh
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the products immediately and carefully cut the threads to remove the decorative fish buttons found on the shirt and shorts. Consumers should dispose of these buttons.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Samara Brothers at (800) 985-9975 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.samararecall.com, or e-mail the firm at info@samararecall.com

 



 

More Background on SamaraRecall.com

SamaraRecall.com originated as a critical platform established in 2007 by Samara Brothers Inc., an American children’s clothing manufacturer, to notify the public about a significant recall of their products. The website was primarily created in response to multiple recalls initiated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) due to safety concerns with some of the company's children’s clothing. This recall-focused website was meant to keep consumers informed and updated about the potential risks associated with the company’s products, such as lead contamination in boys’ jackets and detachable parts on other clothing items posing choking hazards. Over time, the site evolved as the recalls concluded and different owners took over the domain, but its original purpose remains a pivotal moment in consumer safety history.

Historical Overview of SamaraRecall.com

Samara Brothers Inc., known for manufacturing children's clothing, faced a series of recalls in 2007 that thrust it into the spotlight. These recalls were due to excessive levels of lead found in the snap closures of boys’ outerwear jackets and other clothing items, creating a public health concern. Lead poisoning poses significant health risks, particularly for children, and this situation triggered immediate actions from the CPSC to halt the sale of the products.

Initially, SamaraRecall.com served as an important communication tool to alert customers about these hazards, offering details about which products were affected, the risks involved, and steps to take for refunds or replacements. The website’s straightforward layout and clear messaging were designed to minimize harm by ensuring that families with affected products could act quickly. While the original recalls are long over, the legacy of SamaraRecall.com reflects broader corporate responsibility and the growing role of digital tools in crisis management.

Cultural and Social Significance

The significance of SamaraRecall.com lies in its role as a precedent in corporate consumer safety communication. During the early 2000s, companies began increasingly relying on websites to manage public relations during crises. SamaraRecall.com became a model for how companies could create a specific digital platform to directly communicate with their consumers about urgent product recalls, rather than relying solely on media outlets or third-party channels.

This site is also a case study in the evolution of how product recalls are handled in the digital age. Before the widespread use of the internet, product recall notifications were often limited to notices in newspapers or sent via postal mail. With the advent of the internet, companies like Samara Brothers found a more efficient way to reach a large audience rapidly and directly, potentially saving lives by reducing the time it took for dangerous products to be removed from homes.

SamaraRecall.com’s cultural impact reflects a shift toward greater corporate accountability in the eyes of the public. It represented an important step forward in companies taking responsibility for the safety of their products and being transparent with their customers. Such actions helped companies regain consumer trust after significant safety failures.

Reviews and Public Reception

While formal reviews of SamaraRecall.com as a standalone website are scarce, its efficacy can be inferred from its purpose and design. The site was straightforward, with clear recall information, guidance on what consumers needed to do, and contact details for further assistance. This type of clarity and focus is crucial during safety recalls, where consumer confusion could lead to serious consequences. Many consumers likely appreciated the ease with which they could find essential recall information.

The recall of Samara Brothers' products was widely covered in the media, with news outlets emphasizing the severity of lead poisoning risks for young children. SamaraRecall.com was often cited as the main source of information regarding the recalls, further enhancing its role in the crisis response. Even though the recalls occurred many years ago, the incident remains a point of discussion among consumer safety experts, who view it as an early example of how websites could serve as vital tools for managing product safety concerns.

Press and Media Coverage

The recalls of Samara Brothers’ products received substantial media attention, as lead poisoning in children is a serious public health issue. In particular, the recall of boys' jackets with snap closures that contained lead garnered attention due to the widespread sale of the items in major department stores. Media outlets, including national news organizations, reported on the details of the recall and referred readers to SamaraRecall.com for more information.

The role of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission was central in this recall, as their involvement provided the legitimacy and urgency needed to push for action. The CPSC's partnership with Samara Brothers and their direction to consumers to visit SamaraRecall.com reflected the growing reliance on digital tools for safety communication in the 21st century.

Audience and Reach

SamaraRecall.com was primarily aimed at consumers, particularly parents and caregivers of young children, who had purchased the recalled products. The audience needed immediate access to information to ensure their children were not exposed to the harmful effects of lead or other hazards associated with the recalled clothing. Given the scale of the recall, which affected thousands of units sold across the country, the website reached a broad audience.

The specific design and purpose of the website reflected the needs of its audience. By offering a simple interface where visitors could quickly find recall information and instructions on obtaining a refund or replacement, the site ensured that even those unfamiliar with digital tools could navigate it easily. The audience also extended beyond the original recall as the site was later utilized by different owners for unrelated purposes, though these versions lacked the same consumer safety focus.

Legacy and Lessons Learned

The lasting significance of SamaraRecall.com extends beyond its initial function. It represents an early example of how companies could leverage digital platforms to manage crises and protect public safety. While the website’s original purpose is no longer active, the lessons learned from its implementation continue to influence how companies handle product recalls today.

Furthermore, SamaraRecall.com stands as a symbol of the broader cultural shift toward digital crisis management. As the internet continues to grow as a critical tool for communication, companies are now expected to provide swift, transparent, and accessible information to consumers during crises. Websites like SamaraRecall.com helped pave the way for this new standard.

 

SamaraRecall.com was an essential tool in managing a serious consumer safety issue, marking a pivotal moment in how companies handle product recalls in the digital era. Its impact was not only in removing dangerous products from the market but also in setting a precedent for future digital crisis management strategies. Although the site has gone through different iterations since its original recall-focused version, its legacy as a key player in protecting public health and ensuring corporate accountability remains clear.

 

SamaraRecall.com