Wedding Gown Labels–They're Required!
Sharon Stevens, Former Assistant Coordinator, Missouri Textile and Apparel Center,
College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia

Today's bride to be wants to know about the manufacturer, fiber content, country of origin, and care instructions when she is shopping for her wedding gown. Luckily for her, Federal Trade Commission requires that that information be printed on the label.

The label must give:

1. The identity of any one business in the distribution channel (either the name or the Registered Identification Number (RN)). A label must be sewn in or attached as a hang-tag showing at least one of the following:
   1. The manufacturer
   2. the retail store or
   3. any other company in the U.S. directly involved is the distribution of the gown.
2. The fiber content. A label must be sewn-in or attached as a hang-tag.
3. The country of origin. A tag, placed as close as possible to the center back of the neck, must specify whether the gown was made of U.S. materials or imported (and from where) and where it was manufactured in the U.S. or elsewhere (and where). Gowns made from U.S. materials and in the U.S. must be labeled "Made in the U.S.A." or an equivalent phrase.
4. Care instructions. The care label must identify at least one safe cleaning method and any necessary warnings about the cleaning method. The care label must be sewn in.

A retailer who wants to remove a label identifying the manufacturer must substitute it with a label that lists the shop's own name or RN or someone else in the distribution chain. The substituted label must contain all the information that is required on the original label. A retailer may not remove the care label.

Any business that substitutes a label on a textile product must also keep records for three years showing what information was on the original label that was removed and the name of the party from whom the product was received.