April 19, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] Humidifier sterilizers were big sellers back in early 2000s, but Pigeon, a Korean household product maker, refused to manufacture them.

The company examined the necessity of the product, questioning whether the customers would want the product consistently and whether they would last in the years to come. Pigeon also looked into the origin of the substances used in the product and discovered they were not the outcome of a lengthy research and development process, but a chemical compound mostly supplied by OEM companies.

“We chose not to release the product, focusing on the possibility of the substances being inhaled by humans,” the company said in a statement Sunday. Pigeon is one of only a few households product companies not mentioned in the recent toxicity scandal surrounding companies that sold toxic disinfectants, resulting hundreds of death.

There has not been a single boycott sparked over its products, as they are made on the company’s founding philosophy that prioritizes nature and consumer safety, the firm said.

None of Pigeons’ products contain the harmful substances CMIT and MIT, according to a government report on all household biocide products sold in the country. The study was conducted following a report which found toxic chemicals in daily household goods, including toothpastes.

According to Pigeon, its multipurpose antibacterial cleaner Bisol only kills harmful germs, wiping away 99.9 percent of some 50 different germs that are responsible for food poisoning, diarrhea and more in less than 3 minutes.

Bisol-line products, made with substances approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, were the first in Korea to acquire the Korea Testing and Research Institute’s validation for safety and sterilization.

“Sticking with the brand’s eco-friendly formula and founding philosophy, we will continue efforts to produce safe household goods, as the pioneer and forerunner in local household products market,” a company official said.

In order to offer a variety of goods that are safe for consumers to use, the brand has ramped up its production line.

Its newly released hand sanitizer, dehumidifying agent and bleach are made with a self-developed formula, which the brand researched for 3 years. Pigeon also plans to roll out mild products for babies by the end of this year, the company said.

Fabric softener and detergent that the firm will unveil next month have obtained an atopic eczema certification from Korea Atopy Association.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)