Shatnez Alert: Do Not Rely On Salespeople

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zoldansMatzav.com has learned that an unprecedented number of articles of clothing are being sold in stores with consumers relying solely on storeowners or salespeople with regard to the shatnez status of said garments. In many instances recorded by shatnez laboratories, the garments that had been said to be kosher to wear actually contained shatnez.

The Lakewood Shatnez Laboratory informed Matzav.com that Zoldan’s, a men’s and boy’s clothing store located in Boro Park, Brooklyn, in two locations – 4906 16th Avenue and 4709 13th Avenue – has been selling sweaters and informing consumers that they are shatnez-free. The 100% merino wool, black men’s button-down sweaters were tested and linen threads were discovered in hidden seams. These sweaters, from the current fall season, were made in China and have no brand name. The tag lists RN # 56495. Though there are several styles of this sweater, only the plain black one without cables or ribs contains linen threads.

“The lesson is: You cannot rely on the assurance of a Jewish salesperson or proprietor that a garment is free of shatnez,” The Lakewood Shatnez Laboratory told Matzav.com last night. “You should have all your garments tested by a Professional Shatnez Laboratory.”

{Dovid Bernstein-Matzav.com Newscenter}


14 COMMENTS

  1. Has anyone checked wwith a REAL posek about whether one may state “You cannot rely on the assurance of a Jewish salesperson or proprietor that a garment is free of shatnez”?

  2. to #1: Has anyone checked wwith a REAL posek about whether one may “rely on the assurance of a Jewish salesperson or proprietor that a garment is free of shatnez”?

  3. Yes, it was checked by real poiskim, and there response was unequivically “You can’t rely on them”. You also can’t rely on some other Shatnez unCERTIFIED testers.

  4. Please quote who paskened that you cannot rely on a frum shomer shabbos sales person.
    What does ” eid echad neeman bisurin” mean otherwise?

  5. Eid echud is only if he has the knowledge, information etc. The fact is he doesn’t have the knowledge of ascertaing if it’s shatnez or where to find it. He doesn’t have the information of the material used,only at best what the GOI told him. The Rama in Nikur addresses that. The Pri migadim in the pesicha also addresses your concerns.

  6. I have an ironclad Psak based on a Psak of Reb Moshe, that no article of clothing requires Shatnez testing at all since the overwhelming majority of garments no longer contain Shatnez, one can be Somech on Rov. Only where it is known that a certain brand, such as HSM, or from certain countries where linen use is common, do you need to test for Shatnez. It is similar to Treifus, where we only check the lungs of Behemos. We don’t check for other organs, and we don’t have to check Trefus on Ofos. (Typically, the Ofos plants take a quick look at the intestines, but less that .001 have any serious problems.

  7. There have been recent changes in clothing manufacturing, such that shatnez has become a much bigger problem today. I believe that it started when oil went up, such that polyester threads became more expensive than organic threads and linen became actually cheaper than polyester thread, about five + years ago.

  8. To Yudel: That is probably true if you intentionally wear Shatnez. But if you get a Psak that you may wear a certain garment without checking it, or, as is feasible, even after a Shatnez check it is initially found kosher and later found to have Shatnez, such a person’s Tefilos are probably Niskabel.

    To IR: Many of the far Eastern manufacturers never use Shatnez. I have heard that Italy (usually much more expensive suits) has more problems.

  9. Actually, Far Eastern tailors (custom tailors in particular) are notorious for using linen. I’ve heard horror stories of people giving the tailors kosher parts to use instead of the linen. They picked up their suits and asked whether they used the linen instead of the kosher fabrics and the tailors told them no linen was used. Upon checking, linen was found in the suspected parts.

    Italian suits, the lower end ones, that is, are usually safe but should be checked, nonetheless. The high end ones (Ermenegildo Zegna has a linen undercollar; Brioni has in the collar, breast pocket, and waistband; Borrelli, Attolini, and Kiton all have linen in them) most definitely have.

    English bespoke (custom) tailors also use linen liberally. I bought a suit from one that has linen in the most unassuming places, like the crotch intersection in the pants and the backing of the fly. Where can I send it for a comprehensive and thorough test?

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