Marking requirements for shirts assembled in the l.nited States from foreign components

No. 282. Marking requirements for shirts assembled in the l.nited States from foreign components. The Commission advised an apparel manufacturer that the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act would require an affirmative disclosure of the particulars of foreign origin under the following facts:

The manufacturer proposed to contract with or establish a plant in Hong Kong where foreign-made shirt cloth would be cut into parts and simple sewing would be done. The parts would then be shipped to a plant in the United States where, through a process of assembling, sewing and finishing of the cut parts individual shirts would be manufactured. From the cost data furnished it appeared that 60 percent of the cost of labor would be performed in this country and 40 percent in Hong Kong. The material and labor furnished in Hong Kong would account for 61. percent of the total cost of finished shirts and the labor performed in the United States would account for 38.5 percent of the total. The Commission advised that it was of the opinion that, under the laws it administers, textile products produced and processed in this manner must be labeled as "Assembled and sewn in the l.nited States of materials imported from Hong Kong. " (File No. 683 7158, released Aug. 27, 1968.