FTC Care Label Requirements for Clothing Brands (2026)

Short answer: to be FTC compliant in the USA, every garment you sell needs a permanently attached label that stays legible for the life of the garment and carries four things — care instructions (in words or ASTM D5489 symbols), fiber content by percentage, country of origin, and your company name or RN number. Care instructions are required by the FTC Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR Part 423); the other three by the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act. A removable hang tag does not count, and there is no exemption for small, handmade or Etsy sellers.

• Care: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and dry-cleaning steps the garment actually needs
• Fiber content: generic fiber names by percentage of weight, e.g. "60% Cotton, 40% Polyester"
• Origin: "Made in [Country]" — shown at the inside center of the neck on garments with a neck
• Identity: your registered business name or a free FTC RN number

The FTC Care Labeling Rule is a federal regulation first issued in 1971, revised in 1983 and amended in 1997 to allow care symbols, that requires manufacturers and importers of textile wearing apparel sold in the United States to attach permanent care instructions to every garment. It applies to all sellers of clothing — including large brands, independent designers, and small-batch handmade sellers — regardless of where the garment is manufactured. Non-compliance can result in FTC enforcement action, product recalls, and civil penalties.

This article provides general educational guidance on FTC care label requirements. It is not legal advice. For compliance determinations specific to your business, consult a qualified attorney or contact the FTC directly.

Which guide you need: this one covers the care instructions themselves and how to write them. For every US label requirement in one place — fiber content, origin, RN numbers, size labels and state rules — see clothing label requirements in the USA. Selling into the EU or UK as well? Clothing label compliance: FTC and EU rules compares the markets.

What Is the FTC Care Labeling Rule?

The FTC Care Labeling Rule is codified at 16 CFR Part 423 — Care Labeling of Textile Wearing Apparel and Certain Piece Goods — and is enforced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission under the FTC Act. It was first issued in December 1971, rewritten in its current form in 1983, and amended in 1997 — effective July 1, 1997 — to accept ASTM D5489 care symbols as an alternative to written instructions.

The rule's core requirement is simple: every article of wearing apparel made of textile fiber must have a permanently attached label that provides the consumer with instructions for regular care of the article. "Regular care" means the care reasonably necessary to maintain the garment's appearance and function throughout its expected useful life.

The rule applies broadly. It covers garments sold to end consumers, whether through retail stores, e-commerce platforms, wholesale channels, or direct-to-consumer at craft fairs and markets. The rule's definition of wearing apparel excludes footwear, gloves, and hats or other headwear, and it does not apply to household textiles such as bedding and curtains (which are covered by separate rules).

What Must Appear on a Care Label?

Under 16 CFR Part 423, a compliant care label must contain care instructions that cover all regular care procedures the garment requires. Beyond care instructions, other federal textile labeling laws impose additional requirements that are typically combined on the same label. A fully compliant garment label generally includes five elements:

1. Care Instructions

The care instructions must specify the regular care method for the garment — including washing or dry cleaning, water temperature, drying method, ironing temperature (if applicable), and any processes that must be avoided. Instructions must be accurate: if a garment cannot be machine washed, the label must say so. If bleaching would damage the fabric, the label must warn against it.

A seller may not omit a care step because it seems obvious. If the garment requires line drying, the label must say "Line dry" — it cannot simply omit drying instructions on the assumption that consumers will figure it out.

2. Fiber Content

The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (15 U.S.C. § 70) requires that the fiber content of the garment be disclosed by generic fiber name and percentage by weight. This information is typically printed on the same label as the care instructions. For example: "100% Cotton" or "60% Cotton, 40% Polyester."

3. Country of Origin

The country where the garment was manufactured must be disclosed under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and U.S. Customs regulations. For imported goods, this is "Made in [Country]." For domestically produced goods, "Made in USA" may be used only when the garment meets the FTC's "all or virtually all" domestic content standard.

4. Manufacturer or Dealer Identity (RN or WPL Number)

The label must identify the company responsible for the product. This can be done by including the company's full name or by using a Registered Number (RN) or Wool Products Label (WPL) number issued by the FTC. RN numbers are free and can be obtained at rn.ftc.gov. Using an RN number is common for smaller brands that prefer not to print their full legal business name on every label.

5. Care Instructions Must Be Accurate and Sufficient

The manufacturer is responsible for verifying that the care instructions are accurate. This means testing or having technical confidence that a garment labeled "Machine wash warm, tumble dry low" will in fact survive that treatment without damage. If a garment is damaged by following its label instructions, the seller may be liable.

Care Instruction Symbols vs. Written Instructions

Since the 1997 amendment of the Care Labeling Rule, manufacturers may use either written care instructions or standardized care symbols — or both — to communicate care requirements. Symbols alone are permitted only if they conform to the ASTM D5489 standard, which defines the meaning of each symbol in a way that is internationally recognized and legally sufficient under FTC regulations.

ASTM D5489 Symbol System

The ASTM D5489 standard (Standard Guide for Care Symbols for Care Instructions on Textile Products) defines five base symbol categories:

• Washing — a washtub symbol with variations indicating hand wash, machine wash, and temperature levels (dots or numbers inside the tub)
• Bleaching — a triangle symbol; an empty triangle means any bleach is permitted, a crossed triangle means no bleach
• Drying — a circle inside a square for tumble dry, with dots for heat settings; a square alone for line or flat dry variations
• Ironing — an iron symbol with dots indicating low, medium, or high heat; a crossed iron means do not iron
• Dry Cleaning — a circle with letter codes (A, F, P) indicating permitted solvent types; a crossed circle means do not dry clean

When using symbols, the FTC requires that the symbols used be the ASTM D5489 versions specifically. Using non-standard symbols or proprietary icon sets does not satisfy the requirement. If there is any ambiguity about whether a symbol will be understood by consumers, adding written instructions alongside the symbols is the safest approach.

When Written Instructions Are Required

Written instructions are required when a care procedure is unusual or when the garment requires a care step for which no standard symbol exists. For example, "Wash separately before wearing" or "Do not wring" may not have universally recognized symbols and should be stated in text. Written instructions are also required if the manufacturer chooses not to use symbols.

Fiber Content Requirements

Fiber content disclosure is governed by the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and is usually printed on the same label as the care instructions. The rules for listing fiber content are specific:

Percentage by Weight

Each fiber must be listed by its generic name (e.g., "cotton," "polyester," "wool," "nylon," "acrylic") and by its percentage of the total fiber weight, listed in descending order from the highest to the lowest percentage. "60% Polyester, 40% Cotton" is correct. "Cotton/Poly blend" is not compliant.

Tolerance Rules

The FTC allows a tolerance of plus or minus 3 percentage points for each fiber. A garment labeled "100% Cotton" must be at least 97% cotton by fiber weight. A garment labeled "50% Cotton, 50% Polyester" may range from 47–53% for each fiber. This tolerance exists because fiber content in finished textiles can vary slightly from the nominal specification.

The "Other Fibers" Provision

If a garment contains fibers that collectively represent 5% or less of the total fiber weight, and those fibers have no technical significance (i.e., they don't affect function or performance), they may be listed together as "Other Fibers" rather than individually named. This is commonly used for trace fibers in complex blends.

Multiple-Component Garments

For garments with distinct textile components of different fiber content (such as a wool sweater with a cotton lining), the fiber content of each component must be disclosed separately, with each component identified: "Shell: 100% Wool. Lining: 100% Cotton."

Country of Origin Labeling

Country of origin disclosure is required on all textile garments sold in the United States under both the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and U.S. Customs regulations (19 CFR Part 134). The rules differ depending on where the garment was manufactured.

"Made in USA" Claims

The FTC applies a strict standard to "Made in USA" claims: the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the United States, meaning that all significant parts and processing must be of U.S. origin, and the product must contain no — or negligible — foreign content. A garment assembled in the U.S. from imported fabric does not qualify for an unqualified "Made in USA" label. In such cases, a qualified claim such as "Made in USA of imported fabric" is required.

Imported Goods

Imported garments must state "Made in [Country of Origin]" using the country's commonly recognized English name. The country of origin is the country where the garment was substantially transformed — generally where it was cut and sewn, not where the fabric was woven. A garment made from Chinese fabric but sewn in Bangladesh is "Made in Bangladesh."

Hybrid Products

For garments with processing in multiple countries, the country of origin is determined by the "substantial transformation" test: the country where the last substantial transformation occurred that created a new article of commerce. In apparel, this is almost always the country of assembly (cutting and sewing), not the country of fabric production.

Where Must the Label Be Attached?

The Care Labeling Rule requires that care labels be permanently attached to the garment in a location where they are accessible to the consumer before purchase and visible during use. "Permanently attached" means the label must remain on the garment throughout its useful life under normal conditions of use and care — it cannot be a hang tag or paper insert that can be removed.

The most common compliant placements are:

• Neck seam (interior collar): Standard for tops, shirts, jackets, and outerwear — the label is sewn into the back neck seam and hangs inside the garment
• Left side seam (interior): Standard for bottoms (pants, skirts, shorts) — sewn into the left side seam at approximately hip height
• Waistband interior: For pants and skirts, a label sewn into the interior waistband is compliant and commonly used
• Hem or bottom seam: Used for dresses and garments without a visible neck or waistband — sewn into the hemline seam

The label must be legible — text must be large enough to read without magnification, and the label material must be durable enough that the text remains readable after the care processes described on the label. Our size labels are woven, and our care labels are screen-printed on durable polyester satin — both made for long-term legibility through repeated washing.

The rule does not specify a minimum font size, but the FTC expects instructions to be "clearly legible." As a practical guide, 8pt text in a clean sans-serif font is the minimum for comfortable readability on a care label.

Do Handmade and Etsy Sellers Need Care Labels?

Yes. The FTC Care Labeling Rule applies to all sellers of textile wearing apparel in the United States, including handmade makers, cottage industry producers, Etsy sellers, and craft fair vendors. There is no exemption based on business size, sales volume, or the handmade nature of the product.

The rule applies at the point of sale to the end consumer. If you sell a garment — whether a hand-knitted sweater, a sewn dress, or a crocheted top — to a customer in the United States, that garment must have a permanently attached label with care instructions, fiber content, country of origin, and your business identity (or RN number).

The "Personal Use" Exemption

The only exemption that may be relevant to small makers is for garments produced for personal use and not offered for sale. If you make a garment for yourself or as a non-commercial gift, no care label is required. The moment a garment enters commerce — sold, traded, or offered for sale at any price — the rule applies.

What "Wearing Apparel" Means

The rule covers "wearing apparel" — items designed to be worn on the human body. This includes clothing, costumes, and textile accessories such as scarves. It does not cover footwear, gloves, hats and other headwear, handbags, or non-wearable textile items such as wall hangings.

For handmade knit and crochet garments, the fiber content is determined by the yarn used. The yarn's label will specify the fiber composition, which you use directly on your garment's care label. The care instructions should match the care requirements of the yarn fiber — for example, a garment made from "100% Merino Wool" yarn typically requires hand washing or dry cleaning, and the care label must reflect this.

Peach Labels offers durable screen-printed care labels specifically designed for handmade makers — see our guide on woven labels for handmade products for information on ordering small quantities with your specific fiber content and care instructions.

Common Care Label Mistakes

Most care label problems are not missing labels but incomplete ones. These are the gaps worth checking before you approve label artwork:

• A washing instruction with no drying instruction. If a garment cannot go in the dryer, "machine wash cold" is not enough — say "line dry" or "lay flat to dry".
• No bleach warning on dark colors, prints or delicate fabrics that bleach would damage.
• Instructions for the main fabric only. A heat-sensitive print, a satin lining, elastic or a patch can rule out a method the body fabric would survive. The label has to protect the whole garment as sold.
• Vague wording such as "wash normally" or "wash with care", which tells the customer nothing about water temperature, bleach or heat.
• Symbols that contradict the words, or non-standard symbols in place of the ASTM D5489 set.
• No reasonable basis. The rule expects you to be able to back up each instruction — fabric supplier guidance, a wash test of the finished garment, or reliable experience with the same construction.

How to Order Compliant Care Labels

Ordering care labels that meet FTC requirements requires including the correct information on a durable, permanently attachable label. Here is what to include and how to order:

What to Include on Your Care Label

1. Care instructions (washing, drying, ironing, bleaching, dry cleaning as applicable)
2. Fiber content by generic name and percentage (e.g., "100% Cotton")
3. Country of origin (e.g., "Made in USA" or "Made in India")
4. Your company name or RN number

If space is limited on a single label, care instructions and fiber content are typically on the care/content label, while country of origin and brand identity appear on the main brand neck label. Both labels must be permanently attached to the garment.

Designing Your Label

Use the online care label designer to build the label in the browser: a heading, your fiber content and origin text, up to five care symbols, and multi-line care instructions, with a live preview and price. This is the fastest route if you are starting from scratch.

If you already have a print-ready file with ASTM D5489 symbols placed, use upload care labels instead. Either way, our team reviews every file within 24 hours and flags anything that may not print legibly before production.

Label Format Recommendation for Care Labels

Care labels carry text and small symbols rather than a logo, so they are usually printed rather than woven: fine black type on a smooth ground stays readable at the small sizes the symbols need. Ours are screen-printed in black on soft white polyester satin, which holds crisp symbols and text through repeated washing. Your woven center fold brand label then sits at the neck, with the care label in the same seam or the side seam.

Visit our care labels guide for sizes, symbols and pricing. Orders start from 50 pieces, and every file gets an artwork review within 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a care label FTC compliant in the USA?

A compliant US garment label is permanently attached, stays legible for the life of the garment, and carries four things: care instructions covering regular care, in words or ASTM D5489 symbols, as required by the FTC Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR Part 423); fiber content by generic name and percentage by weight; country of origin; and the company name or RN number. The last three come from the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and are usually printed on the same care label.

Is the FTC Care Labeling Rule a federal law?

Yes. It is a federal regulation at 16 CFR Part 423, enforced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. It applies nationwide to all sellers of textile wearing apparel in the United States regardless of the seller's location, size, or business type.

Where does the care label have to be sewn?

Somewhere the shopper can find it at the point of sale and where it stays attached through normal use and care — usually the back neck seam on tops and the left side seam or waistband on bottoms. Country of origin has a stricter placement rule for garments with a neck: it must appear on the front of a label at the inside center of the neck, between the shoulder seams, or next to another label sewn there.

Can a hang tag replace a sewn-in care label?

No. Care instructions must be on a label permanently attached to the garment. A hang tag or paper insert can repeat the information for shoppers, but it cannot replace the sewn-in label, because it is removed before the garment is ever washed.

What happens if I sell a garment without a care label?

Selling a garment without required care labeling violates 16 CFR Part 423 and the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act. The FTC can issue warning letters, require corrective action, seek injunctions, and impose civil penalties of up to $51,744 per violation (2024 adjusted amount). Practical enforcement against individual small sellers is rare but the legal obligation is real.

Can I use care symbols instead of written instructions?

Yes, since the 1997 amendment to the Care Labeling Rule you may use ASTM D5489 symbols alone, written instructions alone, or a combination of both. If using symbols, they must be the standardized ASTM D5489 versions. For unusual care requirements that don't have a standard symbol, written text is required.

Do I need an RN number to sell clothing?

No. An RN number is optional — you may instead print your full legal company name on the label. However, many brands prefer an RN number for privacy (it does not reveal the full business name on the label) and for brevity. RN numbers are free and obtained at rn.ftc.gov.

Does the rule apply to clothing sold online or at craft fairs?

Yes. The Care Labeling Rule applies to all channels of trade — retail stores, online marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, Shopify), craft fairs, pop-up markets, and wholesale. The sale of a garment to a U.S. consumer triggers the requirement regardless of where or how the sale occurs, and there is no exemption for small or handmade sellers.

How much do compliant care labels cost?

At Peach Labels, a 1.2″ × 2.75″ screen-printed polyester satin care label carrying your fiber content, up to five care symbols, country of origin and RN number costs $0.36 each at the 50-piece minimum ($18 in total) and $0.119 each at 1,000 pieces ($119). These are the published figures from our label cost study; the configurator shows your exact price live, and every file gets an artwork review within 24 hours.

Brands selling into the EU should also be aware of the upcoming EU Digital Product Passport requirement, which will add traceability and sustainability disclosure obligations for garments placed on the European market.