Owners of vegan boots made by Dr Martens should be checking labels after a cancer-causing chemical was discovered in the lining. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a national recall for Accent Group Limited’s Dr Martens 1460 Vegan Boots on Wednesday. The cherry red footwear, which sports a gold heel loop, has been found with traces of benzidine, which experts classify as a carcinogen. The chemical was located in trace quantities in the tongue lining of the boot, where it’s understood benzidine was in the dye used to colour the lining fabric. Prolonged use and direct contact with the tongue lining could expose the wearer to the chemical. The ACCC said the affected boots, SKU 14585600, were sold in Platypus and Dangerfield stores, as well as online, between January 1 and June 1. A spokesman for Dr Martens has apologised to its customers and said the traces were discovery was made during the company’s testing. “In this instance, the risk of exposure is very low, but as the chemical is a restricted substance we are taking the necessary steps to recall the impacted boots,” they said. “The safety of our customers is our number one priority and as soon as we were made aware of this issue we took immediate action. “We sincerely regret that this has happened and would like to apologise to our customers for causing them any concern. We have begun a full investigation to understand how this occurred and to ensure this doesn’t happen again.” Consumers should stop using the boots immediately and a full refund is being offered. Consumers should call Accent Group on 1800 655 154 or email AccentCustomerService@accentgr.com.au to arrange a postage paid satchel to be sent to their address for the return of the boots.

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