[Sejong=E-Daily Reporter Kang Shin-woo ] Q. Two pairs of pants I dropped off at the dry cleaner’s have shrunk, and the left and right legs are now different lengths. The dry cleaner claims they only dry-cleaned them and says it’s a product defect, while the manufacturer says it’s due to improper washing. Who should I seek compensation from?

A. The Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee has ruled that if it is difficult to determine whether the responsibility lies solely with the dry cleaner or the manufacturer, both parties must share the compensation. In this case, considering the conflicting judgments from different clothing review agencies, the dry cleaner and the manufacturer/retailer were each ordered to bear half of the damages.

Here’s what happened. In February 2023, the consumer dropped off several winter garments, including two pairs of pants, at a dry cleaner. The total purchase price for the two pairs of pants was 258,230 won.

After receiving the laundry back in April of the same year, the consumer stored it away. On November 10, upon taking the pants out, the consumer noticed something unusual. Both pairs of pants had different lengths on the left and right sides, and the leg openings had shrunk compared to before.

The consumer raised the issue with the dry cleaner the next day, but the dry cleaner maintained that they were not responsible. They claimed that since they had only dry-cleaned the items according to the instructions on the label, the problem was not caused by their service, and advised the consumer to contact the manufacturer.

Consequently, the consumer requested a clothing review from the Korea Women’s Consumer Union through the manufacturer. The Union’s assessment leaned toward holding the dry cleaner responsible.

Based on the fact that the fabric had frayed, lost its luster, and become misshapen, the organization determined that these issues appeared to have resulted from washing the garment with water when it was labeled for dry cleaning only. In other words, it was deemed “careless washing.”

Based on this, the consumer demanded compensation from the dry cleaner. However, the dry cleaner refused to accept liability for compensation, claiming they had washed the item according to the care label instructions. The manufacturer also maintained that they were not responsible. They argued that since the external review concluded the shrinkage was due to careless washing rather than a product defect, it would be difficult to accept any other judgment.

However, the Textile (Footwear) Product Review Committee of the Korea Consumer Agency reached a different conclusion. The committee determined that the discoloration and deformation of the product appeared to stem from differences in the left and right fabric panels and poor shrinkage rates, and thus held the manufacturer and seller liable for negligence.

Ultimately, regarding the same pair of pants, one side concluded it was “the laundry service’s negligence due to wet washing,” while the other concluded it was “the manufacturer’s negligence due to issues with the fabric and shrinkage rate”—resulting in conflicting findings.

Taking into account the conflicting judgments of these two expert review bodies, the Dispute Mediation Committee determined that it was difficult to hold only one party liable. Accordingly, it deemed it appropriate for the laundry service and the manufacturer/retailer to each bear 50% of the damages.

The compensation amount was calculated based on the purchase price of the products and their period of use.

The purchase prices of the two pairs of pants were 145,100 won and 113,130 won, respectively, for a total of 258,230 won. Applying a compensation rate of 45%—reflecting a usage period of 736 days in accordance with the Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards—the total amount of damages was calculated at 116,203 won.

Accordingly, it was decided that the laundry service provider and the manufacturer/retailer would each pay 58,101 won to the consumer.

When clothes shrink or become misshapen after washing, the laundry service and the manufacturer sometimes shift blame onto each other. In such cases, it is important to check not only the product’s care label but also the washing method and the condition of the fabric.

In particular, if there is a dispute over the cause of the defect, having the cause verified through a clothing review by a specialized agency can help resolve the dispute.