Information that you’ll typically see in a screen-printed tag, especially ones in a retail environment, is as follows:

• Company or Brand Name
• Garment Size
• Fabric Composition
• Country of Manufacturing Origin
• Wash or Care Instructions
• RN Number

Not everyone follows the rules, especially when the shirts are going to be given away for free. However, Real Thread strongly recommends following the legal guidelines for relabeling your garment’s tags if you remove the manufacturer’s label.

To help cut down the amount of reading you’d need to do on the FTC’s website, we’ve picked out some key facts that we think are worth noting right away.

• If you manufacture, import, sell, offer to sell, distribute, or advertise products covered by the Textile and Wool Acts, you must comply with the garment labeling requirements.
• If your product is covered by the Textile or Wool Act and Rules, it must be labeled to show the fiber content. The generic fiber names and percentages by weight of each constituent fiber must be listed in descending order of predominance. (For example; 65% rayon, 35% polyester)
• If the product is made from one fiber, you may use the word “All” instead of “100%.”
• Products covered by the Textile and Wool Acts must be labeled to show the country of origin.
• A single RN may be used by a company for labeling products under the Textile, Wool, and/or Fur Acts. Only one number will be assigned to a company.

For an in-depth look at Labeling Requirements, we recommend you visit the FTC’s website at http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus21-threading-your-way-through-labeling-requirements-under-textile-and-wool-acts#unqual.

For an in-depth look at RN Number Requirements, we recommend you visit the FTC’s website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/rn/rnfaq.shtm.