Wool Products Labeling Act

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The Wool Products Labeling Act is a U.S. regulation enacted in 1939, which makes provisions for the accurate labeling of products containing wool fibers. The purpose of this act is to promote transparency and safeguard consumers and stakeholders in the wool industry from deceptive practices and false information regarding the composition of wool products in the market. [1]

Contents

The law was also referred to as the "truth in fabrics law". [2] [3]

Background

The 1914 Federal Trade Commission Act aimed to promote business reform, protect consumers from deceptive advertising, and ensure transparent and honest product information from businesses. [4] The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took notice of issues related to the advertising of wool products, including descriptive labels and visual materials. [2]

In fall 1918, the commission lodged complaints against garment manufacturers falsely claiming their products were fully made of wool, when investigation revealed partial wool composition. [2] One of these cases exemplifies the challenges consumers encounter when seeking to purchase an "all-wool" undergarment. [2]

The FTC encountered numerous challenges in this regard. For instance, an undergarments manufacturer was accused of unfair competition for falsely labeling, advertising, and branding certain product lines as containing wool, despite the minimal wool content. This violation specifically contravened Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act. [2]

The FTC took action against false advertising by advancing the implementation of the Wool Products Labeling Act. [5] It was enacted in 1939 and declares misbranding as unlawful. [2]

Scope

The Wool Products Labeling Act (WPL) came into force in 1939 and underwent revisions in 1980 and 1984. It sets the definitions of the terms "wool" and "recycled wool" for the labeling of products that contain wool fibers. [1] The Wool Products Labeling Act takes precedence over the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, as it specifically governs the labeling of wool products. The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act applies to the labeling of all textile fiber products other than wool. [6]

Definitions

The Wool Products Labeling Act (WPL, 15 U.S.C. § 68) is consumer protection legislation that establishes clear guidelines for the labeling of products containing wool fibers. [7] This act ensures that the labels accurately define the presence of wool and disclose the percentages of wool fibers in the product composition. [1] [8] [9] By doing so, the law effectively safeguards consumers from misinformation, counterfeit alternatives, and blends that may misrepresent the actual content of wool in the product. The WPL plays a crucial role in promoting transparency and maintaining the integrity of wool-based products in the marketplace. [1] [10] For the purposes of the act, wool refers to the fiber obtained from sheep or lamb fleece, or Angora or Cashmere goat hair. It may also comprise specialty fibers from camel, alpaca, llama, and vicuna hair. [11]

The WPL outlines the definitions of wool and recycled wool for the explicit purpose of labeling products that contain wool fibers, as follows:

Wool

Wool refers to the fiber obtained from the fleece of sheep or lambs, or the hair of Angora rabbits or Cashmere goats. It may also include specialty fibers from animals such as camels, alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas. [1]

As per the legal definition, "wool" encompasses both new wool and wool fibers recovered from knit scraps, broken threads, and noil, which refers to the short fibers of wool removed during the process of making worsted yarns from wool. [6]

Virgin wool

Virgin wool, according to the law, is wool that has not undergone any form of processing. Consequently, it is illegal to classify wool derived from knitting clippings or broken yarns as "virgin wool". [6]

Recycled wool

The term "recycled wool" is defined as wool obtained from scraps, as well as from new woven or felted fabrics, which is then processed through garnetting or shredding to revert it to a fibrous state. Recycled wool is used in the manufacture of woolen products. [6]

2018 Edition

The Wool Products Labeling Act (US FTC Regulation) (2018 Edition) is an updated version that meets the requirements of the Wool Suit Fabric Labeling Fairness and International Standards Conforming Act, and that has been harmonized with amendments made to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wool</span> Textile fibre from the hair of sheep or other mammals

Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textile</span> Various fiber-based materials

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarn</span> Long continuous length of interlocked fibres

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufactured sewing threads may be finished with wax or other lubricants to withstand the stresses involved in sewing. Embroidery threads are yarns specifically designed for needlework. Yarn can be made of a number of natural or synthetic materials, and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. Although yarn may be dyed different colours, most yarns are solid coloured with a uniform hue.

The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 is a United States federal law which established the Federal Trade Commission. The Act was signed into law by US President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 and outlaws unfair methods of competition and unfair acts or practices that affect commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohair</span> Natural fiber made from the hair of the Angora goat

Mohair is a fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable for its high luster and sheen, and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair takes dye exceptionally well. It feels warm in winter as it has excellent insulating properties, while its moisture-wicking properties allow it to remain cool in summer. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame-resistant and crease-resistant. It is considered a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora, and silk, and can be more expensive than most sheep's wool.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cashmere wool</span> Fiber obtained from cashmere goats and other types of goat

Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from cashmere goats, pashmina goats, and some other breeds of goat. It has been used to make yarn, textiles and clothing for hundreds of years. Cashmere is closely associated with the Kashmir shawl, the word "cashmere" deriving from an anglicization of Kashmir, when the Kashmir shawl reached Europe in the 19th century. Both the soft undercoat and the guard hairs may be used; the softer hair is reserved for textiles, while the coarse guard hair is used for brushes and other non-apparel purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vicuña</span> Wild South American camelid

The vicuña or vicuna is one of the two wild South American camelids, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes, the other being the guanaco, which lives at lower elevations. Vicuñas are relatives of the llama, and are now believed to be the wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas, which are raised for their coats. Vicuñas produce small amounts of extremely fine wool, which is very expensive because the animal can only be shorn every three years and has to be caught from the wild. When knitted together, the product of the vicuña's wool is very soft and warm. The Inca valued vicuñas highly for their wool, and it was against the law for anyone but royalty to wear vicuña garments; today, the vicuña is the national animal of Peru and appears on the Peruvian coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">False advertising</span> Misleading content in advertisements

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pashmina (material)</span> Fine subset of cashmere wool

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Made in USA</span> Phrase indicating that something was produced in the United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country of origin</span> Country of manufacture, production, or growth

Country of origin (CO) represents the country or countries of manufacture, production, design, or brand origin where an article or product comes from. For multinational brands, CO may include multiple countries within the value-creation process.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal fiber</span> Natural fiber from animals like silk worms and sheep

Animal fibers are natural fibers that consist largely of certain proteins. Examples include silk, hair/fur and feathers. The animal fibers used most commonly both in the manufacturing world as well as by the hand spinners are wool from domestic sheep and silk. Also very popular are alpaca fiber and mohair from Angora goats. Unusual fibers such as Angora wool from rabbits and Chiengora from dogs also exist, but are rarely used for mass production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textile recycling</span> Method of reusing or reprocessing used clothing, fibrous material and rags

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An S number on the label of wool suits or other tailored apparel, wool fabric, or yarn, indicates the fineness of the wool fiber used in the making of the apparel, as measured by its maximum diameter in micrometres. Fiber fineness is one of the factors determining the quality and performance of a wool product. In recent years it has also become an important marketing device used by many mills, garment makers, and retailers. The S number appears as a plural with an s or 's following the number, such as 100s or 100's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycled wool</span> Textile made from shredded and respun wool

Recycled wool, rag wool or shoddy is any woollen textile or yarn made by shredding existing fabric and re-spinning the resulting fibres. Textile recycling is an important mechanism for reducing the need for raw wool in manufacturing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textile Fiber Products Identification Act</span> A consumer protection act in the United States.

Textile Fiber Products Identification Act is a consumer protection act in the United States. The act protects the interest of producers and consumers by imposing regulations of labelling and advertising of textile products. The act specifies labeling requirements and numerous guidelines for the advertising of textile products that should qualify the compliance in accordance with the directions in the act. The Federal Trade Commission considers any form of misbranding to be illegal. Moreover, it also requires that the commission provide a generic name for each man-made fibre, in particular for those not yet named. "Natural" and "manufactured" fibers were among two major groups classified by the act, which also maintains a list of generic names that is updated with each new entrant.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Joseph, Marjory L. (1992). Joseph's introductory textile science. Internet Archive. Fort Worth : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. p. 34. ISBN   978-0-03-050723-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Freer, Robert E. (July 1946). "The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939" (PDF). Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ Norris, Lucy (July 2019). "Waste, dirt and desire: Fashioning narratives of material regeneration". The Sociological Review. 67 (4): 886–907. doi:10.1177/0038026119854273. ISSN   0038-0261. S2CID   199173545.
  4. ↑ Winerman, Marc (2003). "The Origins of the FTC: Concentration, Cooperation, Control, and Competition" (PDF). Antitrust Law Journal . Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  5. ↑ Barnes, Irston R. (Fall 1962). "The Law of Trade Practices-Il False Advertising" (PDF). Ohio State Law Journal . 23 (4). Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Kadolph, Sara J. (September 2009). Textiles. Pearson Education. p. 433. ISBN   978-81-317-2570-2.
  7. ↑ "Wool Products Labeling Act". Federal Trade Commission. August 12, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Specialty hair fibre | animal fibre | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Cachet of Cashmere: Complying with the Wool Products Labeling Act | BCP Business Center". April 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Wool Products Labeling Act". Federal Trade Commission. August 12, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Wool Products Labeling Act Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc". definitions.uslegal.com. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Wool Products Labeling Act (US Federal Trade Commission Regulation) (FTC) (2018 Edition)". ThriftBooks. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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