Need a little help navigating the labeling requirements set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Federal Trade Commission? We have compiled some general information to ensure your labels are compliant for the United States market. For more information, please read through the website links provided. Graphic Fabrics is not legally responsible for misrepresentation and this page is solely to be used for informative purposes only. We do not provide any legal advice and recommend seeking legal counsel if you are unsure about any information provided. For those looking for a easy answer on common items, scroll to the bottom for some easy templates to follow!

FTC – Clothing and Care Labels
FTC – Textile and Wool Acts
CPSC – Tracking Labels

Secure Tags versus Permanent Tags

There are two tags most often used in labeling which are identified as secure or permanent. In terms of CPSC and FTC regulations, this is how they define each.

Secure tags are removable but that must be securely attached to the product at the point of sale. Think of the paper tags you cut off of your clothes when you bring them home. These are often attached to the products by plastic fasteners, safety pins, strings or ribbon, or stuck on like stickers. As long as the label will reach the buyer intact, it meets secure tags definition.

Permanent tags are attached to the garment and required to last the life time of the garment. Some garments expected life are 3 – 6 months, while others are years. The tags must be able to last and stay attached to the garment for that entire period. These are the tags sewn into the necklines inside of shirts or stamped directly onto the fabric. Permanent tags must be easily visible and accessible at the point of sale, and often are required to be in a specific location on the garment for the customer to easily find.

Types of Labels

Basic labels securely attached**:

• Fiber Content
• Identity of Manufacturer (MAY be replaced by RN)
• Country of Origin

Basic labels are required to be on every product that falls under FTC textile labeling requirements. These can be permanent or secure, however **US Customs requires the Country of origin to be permanently attached to the center of the back of the garment and on the front side of the tag. The Country of origin must also represent the location the materials were manufactured, which is why most US based labels state ” from domestic and imported materials.” To be able to put “Made in the USA” all of the materials put into the piece must be made in the US as well.

Tracking labels – permanently attached:

• Name of Manufacturer
• Location of Manufacturing (Country)
• Date of Production
• Batch Number, Run Number, or any other unique identifying characteristics.

Tracking Labels are required on all products that are intended or used by children 12 and under. The date of manufacture may cover a period of time that the product is made and packaged, and is often hand written in by handmade sellers. Identifying characteristics includes a point of contact for the manufacturer which can be a website, email, or Facebook page where customers will be able to contact the manufacturer in regards to product information and recalls. Tracking information is required to be on the label and the packaging to the products, if the label cannot be easily read by the customer at the time of purchase.

Care labels permanently attached:

• Wash Instruction (Machine or Hand, temperature, cycle)
• Bleach Instruction (Type allowed)
• Dry Instruction (Tumble, line, lay flat, etc.)
• Ironing
• Warnings

Care labels can use laundry symbols in place of text. The instructions are meant to represent the best care for the garments that will not cause damage to the product. Excluding a step implies that any setting will not damage the product, such as leaving off bleach instructions means that any type of bleach may be used on the garment without affecting it. The very minimum care instructions required are “Machine wash. Tumble dry.” anything less is not acceptable. It is always better safe than sorry to include all the steps to best protect the garment for its expected lifetime. Warnings are any other laundering considerations customers should be aware of, such as removing trim or accessories, special detergents or products, laundry cycles recommended, etc.

Sleepwear considerations
Sleepwear has a few extra requirements, and some products such as lounge wear or sweat pants may fall under sleepwear if they are considered an intended use. These items require the following to be securely attached:

• Size
• Tight-fitting disclaimer (if the product is not treated with flame resistant chemicals)
• The tight-fitting disclaimer must be 6 pt font sans serif and outlined by a solid line box. This disclaimer must state that the garment is not flame resistant and must be work tight-fitting.

Exemptions

Some items may be exempt from care labels being permanently attached, allowing a secure tag to be used in its place. These items do still require basic and tracking labels:

• Shoes
• Gloves
• Hats
• Reversible items where tags cannot be conspicuously hidden and are considered obtrusive to the garments’ design.
• Small items that are determined too small to be labeled inconspicuously or without disruption the function of the item.

Fiber Content

Fiber content must include all the fibers the materials are made with, including percentages, listed in descending order, and identifying all of the different parts to the garment. Tee shirts that are made entirely from cotton would say “100% Cotton”, while cloth diapers might look like “Outer: 100& Polyurethane Laminate, Inner: 96% Polyester / 4% Spandex, Insert: 100% Cotton”.

When garments have ornamentation and trim, they are measured by the overall weight they add to the garment. Less than 5% of the total weight can say “100% Cotton Exclusive of Trim”. Over 5% of the total weight of the garment would require its own percentage such as “Body: 100% Polyester, Ornamentation: 100% Silk.”

Garments that have linings or fillings must identify the fiber content of both contents, even if they are the same fiber type. “Outer: 100% Polyester, Inner: 100% Polyester.”

I still don’t quite get it, can I just get a template?

Here are some basic templates that will include everything necessary on one permanently attached label. Not sure what your product falls under?
Check the CPSC Regulatory Robot for some help determining your product’s jurisdictions.

Adult Clothing

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content
• Care Instructions

Adult Non-Clothing

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content

Children Clothing

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin, (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content
• Care Instructions
• Date of Manufacture
• Batch Number

Children Non-Clothing

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin, (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content
• Date of Manufacture
• Batch Number

Children Sleepwear

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin, (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content
• Size
• Tight-Fitting Disclaimer (If not treated with flame resistant chemicals) OR
• Treated with flame resistant chemicals Disclaimer “Care on Reverse”
• Care Instructions
• Date of Manufacture
• Batch Number

Stuffed Toys

• Name of Manufacturer
• Country of Origin, (“of domestic and imported materials”)
• Fiber Content
• Minimum Age Requirements**
• Small Parts Warning or Cautions**
• Date of Manufacture
• Batch Number

**See ASTM F963-11.5 for proper use of statements

This is not a full or legal representation of all labeling requirements set forth for every product being sold. Please be sure to check CPSC.gov for more information on your child products to ensure you are fully compliant.

For more assistance with ensuring your products meet all safety requirements, check out https://themakersresourceshop.com/ Resources below provided by Misty Henry with The Makers Resource Shop.