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Utah Sterilization Labeling Requirement:
What You Need to Know!
1. What is Sterilization?
The sterilization process ensures down and feather, animal hair, and wool are safe for consumer use. During sterilization, all dangerous organisms are destroyed by using high pressure/high temperature steam, or other approved methods. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations have published statements and scientific papers showing the viruses and bacteria are inactivated at high temperatures in the range of 60- 70° C. The sterilization process uses steam at 100°+ Celsius.
Sterilization is required for filling material sold in Europe and North America. Currently, all down and feather processing factories sterilize ALL down and feather material regardless of final destination. This ensures that the global supply of down and feather material is safe and clean.
2. What is a USA Sterilization Permit?
A sterilization permit certifies that material is safe for consumer use. Every sterilization facility must have its own Sterilization Permit Number (PER. NO.).
3. Which states require a Sterilization Permit?
Bedding and/or Upholstered Furniture
- Connecticut (CT)
- Massachusetts (MA)
- Michigan (MI), Detroit
- Pennsylvania (PA)
- Rhode Island (RI)
- Utah (UT)
(The PER. NO. must appear on the USA Law Label).
Quilted Clothing/Apparel
- Utah (UT)
(The PER. NO. must appear on the textile label attached to the garment).
4. What details about Utah Sterilization Permits do I need to know?
Among the states that require a sterilization permit (PER. NO.) Utah is unique. In 2017, Utah became the first and only state to require a sterilization permit for quilted clothing (filling) and apparel. This permit number must now appear on apparel labels as well as bedding, sleeping bags & upholstery Uniform Law Labels.
5. What Do I Need To Do Next?
Work with your down supplier to get the Sterilization Permit Number associated with each style’s down shipment. This must be clarified and organized at the time of bulk placement P.O.s (not at the time of shipment). THIS MUST BE ORGANIZED IN ADVANCE!
Ensure that Permit Number appears clearly on a label inside the garment. Since labels are produced in advance, also know this will take coordination on the part of your down supplier and labeling/packaging teams.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where on the quilted clothing/apparel label is the sterilization number found?
- There are not specific requirements as to the placement of the sterilization number, as long as it is clear and visible.
- Is the label supposed to be made of specific material?
- Use the type of label that your brand already uses, there are no special/specific requirements.
- Will the sterilization number that I receive from one down suppler work for all of my down suppliers and garments?
- No. You must obtain a sterilization number for each supplier/each facility. The number applies to the sterilized down that is inside that particular garment.
- For the state of Utah, is there a “leniency” period after December 31, 2021 to print the sterilization number on the jacket label?
- No. Jackets and other outerwear or apparel must have the sterilization number on the labels no later than December 31, 2021.
- Will anyone from the state of Utah be checking for the new PER. NO. label requirement?
- Yes. Officials will check labels on garments sold in stores and on-line.
- Will the Utah PER. NO. on garments policy expand nationally and/or internationally?
- The bedding industry has always had these sterilization requirements. It is likely that quilted/filled garments would follow suit.
- How does this affect on-line sales?
- Same rules apply. If the garment is sold on-line in the USA it can be purchased by Utah customers – therefore all products sold on-line in the USA must have a sterilization permit number.
- What about other countries? Do they have the same sterilization rules?
- Sterilization is required throughout USA, Asia and Europe with varying standards.
Actual Verbiage from Utah Labeling Standard:
Utah’s recent legislative session enacted Utah Code Annotated § 4-10-14 which became effective May 10, 2016 and was renumbered to Utah Code Annotated § 4-10-113 effective July 1, 2017. R70-101-8 and R70-101-9 became effective January 26, 2017. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food began taking sterilization permit applications July 1, 2017.
Utah Sterilization Rule for Filled Clothing
The Department defines quilted clothing as a filled garment or apparel. For labeling purposes the department adopts by reference the Rules and Regulations under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, Fur Products Labeling Act, and Wool Products Labeling Act found in 16 CFR parts 300, 301, and 303. Articles filled with Down, Goose Down, or Duck Down also needs to follow the USA 2000 Labeling Standard for the labeling of such filling material.
Articles of sterilized filled clothing (ie: down, feather, & wool) need to add the following information to their textile label in addition to all previous requirements:
The sterilization permit number (PER. NO.) shall be listed on the textile label.
Manufacturers of quilted clothing shall have five years compliance period, starting January 1, 2017, for the inclusion of the sterilization permit number on the textile label.
For more detailed information, please visit:
Utah Administrative Code R70-101
