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The FTC Amends the Textile Rules to Incorporate the Most Recent ISO 2076 Standard for Generic Fibre Names

OCTOBER 2020 - SOFTLINES

On 6 October 2020, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amends the Rules and Regulations (16 CFR Part 303) under the Textile Fibre Products Identification Act (“Textile Rules'') to incorporate the most recent ISO 2076 standard for generic fibre names¹.

According to the Textile Rules (16 CFR Part 303)² fibre composition of each covered textile product is required to be disclosed on the label by using permissible generic name of the constituent fibres. In the section §303.7 of the current Textile Rules, besides the generic name and definition of fibres given in this section, the FTC allows to use the generic name of fibres according to the standard ISO 2076:2010(E), “Textiles—Man-made fibres—Generic names.”

The standard ISO 2076:2010(E) was last updated in 2013 and replaced by the latest version ISO 2076:2013(E), however the FTC does not automatically incorporate the updated version. Therefore, it periodically updates the Rule's reference to the ISO standard to keep abreast of ISO 2076 amendments.

In this amendment of the Textile Rules, the FTC incorporated the latest version of the standard ISO 2076:2013(E), “Textiles—Man-made fibres—Generic names". This latest version (2013) of the standard includes following seven generic fibre names additionally as compared to the previous version:

• chitin;
• ceramic;
• polybenzimidazole;
• polycarbamide;
• polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent;
• protein; 
• trivinyl.

This amended rule will become effective from 5 November 2020.

[1]  Final Rule - Federal Register Volume 85, Number 194

[2]  The ‘Textile Rules’ 16 CFR Part 303