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Tao breaks silence after black specks found in sanitary pads from his brand

Published: 19 Jun. 2025, 12:59

Huang Zitao, better known as Tao and a former member of K-pop group Exo [JOONGANG ILBO]

Chinese singer-actor Huang Zitao, better known as Tao, issued a public statement Tuesday following consumer complaints about black specks found in sanitary pads from his brand, Domei Way.

In a post on social media, Tao, a former member of K-pop group Exo, said that the black dots spotted in some products were caused by carbonization during the nonwoven fabric production process.

“Some protruding fibers were scorched by heat during manufacturing, resulting in black specks,” he wrote.

“The industry’s standard tolerance for such imperfections is around 0.5 millimeters, whereas our company maintains a stricter visual inspection standard of 0.3 millimeters,” Tao said. “Black specks smaller than that cannot be detected by machines. They pose no harm to the human body and are safe for use.”

“Our products comply with national standards and surpass industry standards,” Tao said. “This problem does not interfere with use, but if you feel uncomfortable with the product, please contact our customer service center and we will exchange it for a new product.”

“I started this brand with the belief that transparency equals quality,” Tao wrote, adding that the company will make factory operations publicly accessible and allow real-time viewing of the production process online.

In March, Tao launched the brand after a recycling scandal involving sanitary pads in China. At the time, he pledged to livestream production 24 hours a day and invested 260 million yuan ($36.16 million) to acquire a manufacturing facility.

Domei Way sanitary pads come with a QR code that lets consumers track and view the production process. During a livestreamed sales session in May, Tao reportedly sold 450,000 boxes in just 30 minutes, generating over 4.3 billion won ($3.11 million) in revenue, according to the South China Morning Post.

Tao debuted in 2012 as a member of the K-pop boy band Exo under SM Entertainment but left the group in 2015 to pursue a solo career in China. He married singer Xu Yiyang last year.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]