US Retailers Contravene Fur Products Labeling Act

Several major retailers in the United States have been found in violation of the Fur Products Labeling Act and the Textile Fiber Identification Act. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) brought to light these contraventions after they discovered a number of instances of real fur items being advertised or labelled as ‘faux fur’. They are now petitioning the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to bring enforcement actions under federal consumer protection laws.

Under US law, the sale of fur products is governed by the Fur Products Labeling Act and is regulated by the US FTC. The act outlines the labeling requirements for fur products - any product which contains real fur, either entirely or partly, must have a permanent label disclosing the following information:

• Animal name (according to the Fur Products Name Guide)
• Name or Registered Identification Number (RN) of the manufacturer, importer, marketer or distributor
• Country of origin for imported fur products
• Whether the fur is:
- pointed, dyed, bleached, or artificially colored
- composed in whole or substantial part of pieces (> 10% of surface area)
- used or damaged
• The textile or wool content of the product, its country of origin and its manufacturer or dealer identity

Products which do not display the correct information are considered misbranded or falsely or deceptively advertised or invoiced.

In addition to federal laws governing the sale of real fur, several states have their own regulations which cover the labeling and sale of real and faux fur. These include:

• New York General Business Law §399-aaa
• Massachusetts General Laws: Chapter 94. Section 277A
• Wisconsin Statutes Annotated. Chapter 100.35
• Delaware: Section 1, Chapter 25, Title 6 of the Delaware Code
• New Jersey Statutes Annotated. Title 56, Chapter 14

Each of these states’ laws makes different demands upon the labeling of real and faux fur products. Manufacturers are now advised to check their products are compliant with all US laws pertaining to the sale of real and faux fur in order to avoid potential prosecution.

It should be noted that dog and cat fur is completely prohibited in the United States by both the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 and California criminal law.

SGS Textile & Clothing Services
SGS Global Softlines has an extensive network of over 40 laboratories worldwide, with a strong team of committed professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. Our internationally accredited state-of-the-art testing laboratories offer a comprehensive range of physical, chemical and functional testing services, including fiber composition analysis and animal species identification for textile and fur products so as to assure that products meet the labeling regulations. Learn more about SGS’s Textile & Clothing Services (www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/softlines-and-accessories/textile-and-clothing)

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Reminder: Compliance with Fur Products Labeling Act in the U.S. SafeGuardS. (www.sgs.com/en/news/2016/09/safeguards-15916-reminder-compliance-with-fur-products-labeling-act-in-the-us)

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For further information contact:

Louann Spirito
Director Technical Support, Softlines
Tel: (+1) 973 461 7919
Email: cts.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/softlines

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 85,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,800 offices and laboratories around the world.

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This release was published on openPR.