When Listing Online, It’s Tag It Right or Pay Up

When the Federal Trade Commission passed ‘The Textile and Wool Act,’ it was cause for most retailers to change how they display product online – and not everybody has updated yet. The act states that most textile and wool products display a label listing fiber content, manufacturer identity and country of origin. We know that you can look at your shirt, pants, jacket and even underwear to see where those tighty-whities were made, but brands also have to indicate country of origin online. Here is an excerpt from the act:

When a textile or wool product is advertised in a catalog or other mail order promotional material, either printed or disseminated on the Internet, the description must include a clear and conspicuous statement that the item was either “made in U.S.A.,” “imported,” or “made in U.S.A. and [or] imported.” Of course, catalog information about origin must be consistent with the information on the label. (See p.22 for more information about origin disclosures in catalogs.)

Where many companies have not followed the law closely on is the online world. Even some of the biggest retailers haven’t become fully compliant. Even some of the brands I personally love, such as Billabong, haven’t caught up with the newer labeling requirements.

By contrast, take a look at this example from The North Face and you can see under ‘specifications’ that the source is “imported” along with the proper fabric breakdown. SilverTech client Life is good® has also been updated in their newest optimistic products.

So why is this so critical? As the FTC has shown signs of enforcing this more, the penalties can be pretty steep, upwards of $16,000 per catalog item. No need to show some basic math examples here, brands can’t afford not to make this change.

The bulk of The Textile and Wool Act can seem quite complicated, but reads similar to a brand identity guide with how you should and should not display things. For example, you should not list 80% polyester and 20% SILK in an effort to highlight the premium fabric. Fonts and styles must be similar.

I strongly encourage brands to brush up on The Textile and Wool Act to learn more about what falls under these restrictions and how to make the most of it.

Over the past 16 years, SilverTech has worked with companies on their digital experience to include ecommerce, systems integration and ultimately everything dealing with customer interaction. We have seen a lot and learned a lot, and whether you’re Billabong, The North Face or a purveyor of the optimistic, let’s chat.