Ruffolo Brothers, Inc

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In THE MATTER OF RUFFOLO BROS., INC., ET AL.

CONSENT ORDER, ETC., IN REGARD TO THE ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND THE FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACTS : Docket C-2159. Complaint, March 1, 1972—Decision, March 1, 1972 Consent order requiring a New York City manufacturer and distributor of wearing apparel, including women’s dresses, to cease importing or selling any fabric which violates the standards of the Flammable Fabrics Act. ComMPrLaAINtT Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, and by virtue of the authority vested in it by said Acts, the Federal Trade Commission, having reason to believe that Ruffolo Bros., Inc., a corporation, and Elmo Ruffolo and Aurora Ruffolo, individually and as officers of said corporation, hereinafter referred to as respondents, have violated the provisions of said Acts and the rules and regulations promuigated under the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, and it appearing to the Commission that a proceeding by it in respect thereof would be in the public interest, hereby issues its complaint stating its charges in that respect as follows:

Paracraru 1. Respondent Ruffolo Bros., Inc., is a corporation organized, existing and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of New York. Its address is 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York.

Respondents Elmo Ruffolo and Aurora Ruffolo are officers of the corporate respondent. They formulate, direct and control the acts, Decision and Order 80 FE.T.C.

practices and policies of the said corporate respondent’ including those hereinafter set forth.

Respondents are engaged in the manufacture, sale and distribution of wearing apparel, including, but not necessarily limited to women’s dresses.

Par. 2. Respondents are now and for some time last past have been engaged in the manufacture for sale, the sale and offering for sale, in commerce, and have introduced, delivered for introduction, transported and caused to be transported in commerce, and have sold or delivered after sale or shipment in commerce, products, as the terms “commerce” and “product” are defined in the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, which fail to conform to an applicable standard or regulation continued in effect, issued or amended under the provisions of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended. Among such products mentioned hereinabove were dresses style No. 217.

Par. 3. The aforesaid acts and practices of respondents were and are in violation of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and constituted, and now constitute, unfair methods of competition and unfair and deceptive acts and practices in commerce, within the intent and meaning of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

DECISION AND ORDER The Federal Trade Commission having initiated an investigation of certain acts and practices of the respondents named in the caption hereof, and the respondents having been furnished thereafter with a copy of a draft of complaint which the New York Regional Office proposed to present to the Commission for its consideration and which, if issued by the Commission, would charge respondents with violation of the Flammable Fabrics Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act; and Respondents and counsel for the Commission having thereafter executed an agreement containing a consent order, an admission by respondents of all the jurisdictional facts set forth in the aforesaid draft of complaint, a statement that the signing of said agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by respondents that the law has been violated as alleged in such com- ‘plaint, and waivers and other provisions as required by the Commission’s rules; and 283 Decision and Order The Commission having thereafter considered the matter and having determined that it had reason to believe that the respondents have violated the said Act, and that complaint should issue stating its charges in that respect, and having thereupon accepted the executed consent agreement and placed such agreement on the public record for a period of thirty (30) days, now in further conformity with the procedure prescribed in Section 2.34 (b) of its rules, the Comynission hereby issues its complaint, makes the following juris- — dictional findings, and enters the following order: 1. Respondent Ruffolo Bros., Inc., is a corporation, organized, existing and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of New York, with its office and principal place of business located at 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York. Respondents Elmo Ruffolo and Aurora Ruffolo are the president and vice president, respectively, of said corporation. They formulate, direct and control the acts, practices and policies of said corporation and their principal office and place of business is located at the above stated address.

2. The Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction of the subject matter of this proceeding and of the respondents, and the proceeding is in the public interest. .

ORDER It is ordered, That the respondents Ruffolo Bros., Inc., a corporation, its successors and assigns, and its officers, Elmo Ruffolo and Aurora Ruffolo, individually and as officers of said corporation, and respondents’ representatives, agents and employees, directly or through any corporate or other device, do forthwith cease and desist from manufacturing for sale, selling, offering for sale, in commerce, or importing into the United States, or introducing, delivering for introduction, transporting or causing to be transported in commerce, or selling or delivering after sale or shipment in commerce, any - product, fabric, or related material; or manufacturing for sale, selling or offering for sale, any product made of fabric or related material which has been shipped or received in commerce as “commerce,” “product,” “fabric” and “related material” are defined in the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, which product, fabric, or related material fails to conform to an applicable standard or regulation issued, amended or continued in effect, under the provisions of the aforesaid Act.

It ts further ordered, That respondents notify all of their customers who have purchased or to whom have been delivered the Decision and Order 80 F.T.C.

dresses which gave rise to the complaint, of the flammable nature of said dresses and effect the recall of said dresses from such customers.

It is further ordered, That the respondents herein either process the dresses which gave rise to the complaint so as to bring them into conformance with the applicable standard of flammability under the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, or destroy said dresses. It is further ordered, That the respondents herein shall, within ten (10) days after service upon them of this order, file with the Commission an interim special report in writing setting forth the respondents’ intentions as to compliance with this order. This special report shall also advise the Commission fully and specifically concerning (1) the identity of the dresses which gave rise to the complaint, (2) the number of said dresses in inventory, (8) any action taken and any further actions proposed to be taken to notify customers of the flammability of said dresses and effect the recall of said dresses from customers, and of the results thereof, (4) any disposition of said dresses since April 2, 1971, and (5) any action taken or proposed to be taken to bring said dresses into conformance with the applicable standard of flammability under the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended, or destroy said dresses, and the results of such action. Such report shall further inform the Commission as to whether or not respondents have in inventory any product, fabric, or related material having a plain surface and made of paper, silk, rayon and acetate, nylon and acetate, rayon, cotton or any other material or combinations thereof in a weight of two ounces or less per square yard, or any product, fabric, or related material having _ a raised fiber surface. Respondents shall submit samples of not less than one square yard in size of any such product, fabric, or related material with this report.

It is further ordered, That respondents notify the Commission at least 30 days prior to any proposed change in the corporate respondent, such as dissolution, assignment or sale resulting in the emergence of a successor corporation, the creation or dissolution of subsidiaries or any other change in the corporation which may affect compliance obligations arising out of this order.

It is further ordered, That the respondent corporation shall forthwith distribute a copy of this order to each of its operating divisions. It is further ordered, That the respondents herein shall, within sixty (60) days after service upon them of this order, file with the Commission a report in writing setting forth in detail the manner and form in which they have complied with this order.