US FTC Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423): What Importers Need on Private-Label Suit Labels
US-bound private-label suits need a care story that matches 16 CFR Part 423, not a decorative hangtag. The FTC Care Labeling Rule text requires manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel to provide regular care instructions at sale. Labels generally need a washing or drycleaning instruction; if either is safe, only one is required. The seller must possess a reasonable basis for the care information prior to sale. Under the Rule’s definitions, “Machine wash” with no temperature stated allows hot water up to 145°F (63°C).
What to lock with the factory before bulk
| Label line | What 423 pushes you to decide | Factory action |
|---|---|---|
| Wash or dryclean | At least one regular-care path, or state if none is safe | Put final English (or required) care copy in the tech pack |
| Temperatures / warnings | Water, dry, iron, bleach, solvent warnings as needed | Sew / attach permanent care label per brief |
| Reasonable basis | Evidence before sale — not after complaints | Buyer owns compliance file; factory follows agreed copy |
| Visibility at sale | Label findable; if folded/packaged, also hangtag/package | Packing brief matches 423.6 visibility intent |
| MOQ track | Private-label size run vs single MTM | Bulk from 50 after seal · MTM from 1 for client pieces |
Wash or dryclean: What 423 pushes you to decide: At least one regular-care path, or state if none is safe · Factory: Put final English (or required) care copy in the tech pack
Temperatures / warnings: Water, dry, iron, bleach, solvent warnings as needed · Factory: Sew / attach permanent care label per brief
Reasonable basis: Evidence before sale — not after complaints · Factory: Buyer owns compliance file; factory follows agreed copy
Visibility at sale: Label findable; if folded/packaged, also hangtag/package · Factory: Packing brief matches 423.6 visibility intent
MOQ track: Private-label size run vs single MTM · Factory: Bulk from 50 after seal · MTM from 1 for client pieces
Timing relative to sample and production
Seal care-label copy during the 7–14 day sample. Do not change care text after bulk from 50 has started without a written revision. Production 14–21 days after approval; production ≠ delivery.
"Send final 16 CFR 423 care wording with the sample brief. We sew what you lock. Sample 7–14 days; bulk from 50 after seal; production 14–21 days. We do not invent US care claims for you." — Shi Yuan Suit Factory (statement built from published factory policy)
FAQ
Who is covered by 16 CFR Part 423?
Manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel and certain piece goods who direct or control manufacture or importation, per the FTC Rule text.
Must a suit label list both wash and dryclean?
No. If either washing or drycleaning can be used, the label need have only one of those instructions. If neither is safe, the label must say the product cannot be cleaned by available methods without harm.
When should care copy reach Shi Yuan?
With the tech pack before the 7–14 day sample, so the sealed sample and bulk from 50 share one care label.
Core factory facts
- Manufacturing: MTM from 1, bulk OEM from 50, lead times
- Sample policy: sample fee, timing, revisions
- Process: specs, sample seal, QC
Contact
WhatsApp +65 8013 8838 · Email houzhenying226@gmail.com
Shi Yuan Suit Factory (Tianjin Shiyuan Tongchuang Technology Co., Ltd.) · Est. 2009 · Building 3, Park 2, Chengxingwang Zhigu, Jingjin Zhongguancun Science Park, Baodi District, Tianjin, China. Acumenwear.com is our English export site.
