# Made In China?



## global epidemik (Dec 2, 2006)

i'm in the process of designing our new screen printed tags and had a quick question? I know that its required by law that you include washing and sizing instructions but is it necesary to include "Made In China"? and if I do have to include it, whats the penalty for breaking that law?

thanks


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

global epidemik said:


> I know that its required by law that you include washing and sizing instructions but is it necesary to include "Made In China"?


Yes. Visible on the front of the tag in the centre of the neck. No hiding it away in a corner, round the back, on an inner seam, or with a small font.



global epidemik said:


> and if I do have to include it, whats the penalty for breaking that law?


I can't see any legitimate reason for you to be asking this question.


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

Solmu said:


> I can't see any legitimate reason for you to be asking this question.


Indeed.

And to answer the question, the penalties would quite probably bankrupt your family.


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## Titere (Sep 14, 2006)

Where can we get more info on that?
Is that in every case, or just when exporting? If we just do local sales and we are a small company, will that stil apply?


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## global epidemik (Dec 2, 2006)

well, I figure having "Made in China" degrades the "value" of the t-shirt, so I wouldn't put it on the shirts unless I absolutley have to. But, obviously I don't want to bankrupt my business over something that small, so I guess i'll be including it.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

global epidemik said:


> well, I figure having "Made in China" degrades the "value" of the t-shirt, so I wouldn't put it on the shirts unless I absolutley have to.


You absolutely have to. If having "Made in China" degrades the value of your product, you should think about fixing the source of the problem.



Titere Wear said:


> Where can we get more info on that?


The FTC, or a forum search.



Titere Wear said:


> Is that in every case, or just when exporting?


If I remember correctly (could be wrong) it doesn't actually apply to exporting (but most other countries will require a valid country of origin to legally import the product). It definitely applies to all sales within the US.



Titere Wear said:


> If we just do local sales and we are a small company, will that stil apply?


Yes, the law applies to all company sizes.


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## Quattroporte (Dec 27, 2006)

I have some shirts by william rast that only have the company name on the neck, and I know that most high-end brands do that.

If ALL the information (material, manufacturing location, RN#, etc) is on a separate tag in the bottom corner of the shirt on the side seam, I'm assuming that's okay too right?


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> If ALL the information (material, manufacturing location, RN#, etc) is on a separate tag in the bottom corner of the shirt on the side seam, I'm assuming that's okay too right?


From what I understand, that information has to be in the neckline.


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## Quattroporte (Dec 27, 2006)

That's what I thought too, but I think they wanted a clean look to their tag and putting extra information would "clutter" the design of the tag...

I read somewhere that with certain clothes such as reversible stuff, it's okay to put the information in other places, or even just on the tag if absolutely necessary.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> I read somewhere that with certain clothes such as reversible stuff, it's okay to put the information in other places, or even just on the tag if absolutely necessary


That may be true, but I don't think that applies to just regular t-shirts when you are concerned about "clutter". 

I think the FTC is more concerned with function over style 

Although there are fines involved, it's possible that some companies still skirt the rules (or just don't know them).


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Quattroporte said:


> If ALL the information (material, manufacturing location, RN#, etc) is on a separate tag in the bottom corner of the shirt on the side seam, I'm assuming that's okay too right?


Nope, at least some of the information has to be the centre neckline (country of origin if I remember correctly, maybe fibre content - some of it has to be there, I think some of it can appear elsewhere).


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Quattroporte said:


> I read somewhere that with certain clothes such as reversible stuff, it's okay to put the information in other places, or even just on the tag if absolutely necessary.


Yes, there are different rules for reversible goods, and different rules (or exceptions) for goods that can't be labelled for one reason or another. In general they wouldn't apply to t-shirts, although you could make a reversible t-shirt in which case those rules would apply I suppose (I don't recall what they are, but I do remember they were specified by the FTC, so at least they'd be clear on the requirements if it was relevant).


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

So if I had an American Apparel t-shirt and wanted my company name on the label, it won't have to say AA on it as well because that's included in the RN#, but everything else has to be included?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

tim3560 said:


> So if I had an American Apparel t-shirt and wanted my company name on the label, it won't have to say AA on it as well because that's included in the RN#, but everything else has to be included?


Yes, that's correct.


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## 808empire (Oct 20, 2007)

global epidemik said:


> well, I figure having "Made in China" degrades the "value" of the t-shirt, so I wouldn't put it on the shirts unless I absolutley have to. But, obviously I don't want to bankrupt my business over something that small, so I guess i'll be including it.


are you having the blanks made in china or complete printing done up there too?


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