Location of term “irregular” to describe shirts

No. 342. Location of term “irregular” to describe shirts. In response to a request for an advisory opinion, the Commission advised a manufacturer: that irregular men’s dress and sport shirts should be stamped “irregular” on the neck band, not on the shirttail.

Whenever an affirmative disclosure is required, the Commission said, it is a well-established principle that it must be made with. such clarity that it will likely be observed by prospective purchasers making a casual inspection of the merchandise prior to, not after, the purchase thereof. Because of the manner in which shirts are ordinarily folded and displayed at the point of sale, the Commission added, an “irregular” stamp on the shirttail would not normally be seen by prospective purchasers until after the sale has been consummated.

Concluding that the disclosure should be made in the neck band, the Commission said:

Although the disclosure may be placed.in any location so long as it complies with the aforementioned principle, experience indicates that the best possible location in most cases would be in the neck band. This is where most prospective purchasers look at a shirt because this is where the size and fiber identification normally are placed. Under these circumstances, therefore, the Commission would not accept a disclosure made on the shirttail. It would, however, accept a legible disclosure made in the neck band as being in compliance with sec. 5 of the FTC Act. (File No. 698 7108, released May 1, 1969.)