Linda Casey -- Packaging Digest, 2/3/2010 4:00:40 PM
Seventy-eight companies nationwide, including major retailers such as Walmart, Target and Kmart, have received Federal Trade Commission letters warning that they may be breaking the law by selling mislabeled textile products. The products in question are the textile products made of manufactured rayon fiber, but are sold in packaging labeled as "bamboo."
"We need to make sure companies use proper labeling and advertising in their efforts to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers," said David C. Vladeck, director of the agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Rayon is rayon, even if bamboo has been used somewhere along the line in the manufacturing process."
The FTC sued several companies last year for allegedly selling products labeled or advertised as "bamboo" that in reality were made of rayon. Rayon is a man-made fiber created from the cellulose found in plants and trees and processed with harsh chemicals that release hazardous air pollution. Any plant or tree - including bamboo - could be used as the cellulose source, but the fiber that is created is rayon.
The letters, which the agency's staff sent last week, make the retailers aware of the FTC's concerns about possible mislabeling of rayon products as "bamboo," so the companies can take corrective steps to avoid Commission action. In the letter, the FTC tells the companies they should review the labeling and advertising for the textile products they are selling and remove or correct any misleading bamboo references.
"While we have seen action by some retailers to correct mislabeled clothing and textile products, our hope is that these warning letters will serve as a wake-up call to all companies, regardless of their size," Vladeck said.
Along with the warning letters, the agency sent each company a synopsis of FTC decisions finding that the failure to use proper fiber names in textile labeling and advertising was deceptive and violated the FTC Act. Under the Act, the FTC can seek civil penalties of up to $16,000 per violation against any company that receives this information but fails to correct its advertising and labeling.
SATO is a pioneer and leading global provider of integrated Automatic Identification and Data Collection solutions that leverage barcode and RFID technologies. SATO manufactures innovative, reliable auto-identification systems and offers complete...
more
ECONOCORP, INC. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of ECONOSEAL cartoning, trayforming, and casepacking caters to moderate volume users and features simplicity in design, operation, and maintenance. ECONOSEALS handle paperboard and corrugated...
more
QuickLabel Systems makes and sells digital color label printers and barcode label printers for use by manufacturers of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and more...
more
Bosch Packaging Technology, Inc. is one of the world's leading suppliers of packaging machinery. Our diverse portfolio of packaging machines, including the well known Doboy brand, includes robotic automation with pick & place robots (delta robots)...
more
Hitachi America Ltd., Industrial Components & Equipment Division, supplies a broad range of industrial products and services. The division supplies sophisticated industrial equipment, components and services for application in pharmaceutical...
more
Markem-Imaje is a trusted world manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, offering a full line of reliable and innovative inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, print and apply label systems and RFID-based systems. Markem-Imaje...
more
Fogg is a world leader in the design and manufacture of rotary filling, rinsing, capping and enclosure systems for free flowing and viscous liquids. Fogg serves a growing number of dairy, spirits, water, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and...
more
Markem-Imaje is a trusted world manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, offering a full line of reliable and innovative inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, print and apply label systems and RFID-based systems. Markem-Imaje...
more
Microscan develops barcode and machine vision products that help manufacturers reduce costs, increase yields, improve product quality, and comply with regulations. Designed for precision applications, Microscan's line of 1D and 2D barcode readers...
more
Thermo Scientific Product Inspection and Processing equipment protects your brands by ensuring the quality, accuracy, efficiency and safety of your products. With more than 50 years of making sure little things don't turn into big problems, we know...
more
DOMINO is one of the world's largest manufacturers of digital printing solutions and is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. Our products are used for date coding, product marking, serialization and variable printing. Among our customers...
more
Teledyne DALSA is a world leader in the design, manufacture and deployment of digital imaging components for the machine vision market. Teledyne DALSA image sensors, cameras, smart cameras, frame grabbers, software and vision solutions are used in...
more
Seventy-eight companies nationwide, including major retailers such as Walmart, Target and Kmart, have received Federal Trade Commission letters warning that they may be breaking the law by selling mislabeled textile products. The products in question are the textile products made of manufactured rayon fiber, but are sold in packaging labeled as "bamboo." 
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
