Our purpose is clear: to elevate every life by transforming spaces into havens. Moen has spent decades building a legacy of innovation and trust, and brings this purpose to life every day through products that are safe, reliable, and designed with care. However, cheap, off-brand, foreign-made faucets entering the American market are not held to the same standard.
When you turn on your faucet, you expect clean, safe water. But what if that faucet—though it looks trustworthy—was actually an imposter product, leaching harmful chemicals into your home? That’s the concerning reality facing millions of Americans today.
This is why Aaron Bores, FBIN Executive Vice President, Product Development, testified before Congress this week to sound the alarm on a growing threat: unsafe, imposter plumbing products flooding the U.S. market.
“I appear before you today with an urgent warning regarding American consumer health and safety. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in inexpensive consumer faucets and plumbing supplies by unrecognized brands, the majority of which are imported from China.
These cheap, often Chinese knock-off brands misappropriate Moen and third-party intellectual property to deceive consumers into purchasing products which use 1) materials that leach dangerous levels of lead and carcinogens into consumer’s drinking water, and 2) designs which fail to properly regulate pressures to prevent scalding and slip and fall injuries. These imposter brands present a significant health risk to consumers.” – Aaron Bores
Consumer Product Safety Commission Issues Warnings
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced product warnings of several Chinese off-brand faucets. The faucets were tested and found to contain lead that can leach into water at levels that can be particularly harmful to young children. Additionally, some of these faucets falsely use certification agency trademarks, giving consumers a false sense of security. Instead of being certified, the faucets were found to leach lead.
These products undermine consumer safety, increase municipal maintenance costs, and erode trust in the legitimate brands that abide by all laws and best practices. Fortune Brand Innovations is grateful to Chairman Tillis and the entire subcommittee for their leadership and for the opportunity to serve as an expert witness before the senate committee on Foreign Competitive Threats to Innovation and Economic Leadership.
Consumers can learn more about the research conducted and test results of knock-off faucets here.
