USA LABELING OF BLENDED FILLING PRODUCTS

IABFLO – March 22 2007 (Document Amended May 13 2014)


Blended Filling Products are pillows, comforters, and featherbeds which have 2 different kinds of fillings blended together. An example is a down and polyester blended pillow.

The following is required labeling for such products on the Uniform Law Tag labels. Suggested packaging and advertising formats are also included to meet “Truth-in-Advertising” requirements of the FTC and/or individual state regulations.

OVERALL FORMAT

The Uniform Law Tag Label shall list the different types of fillings which are blended together in order of highest percentage by weight of the filling:


BLENDED PRODUCTS where neither filling is plumage (down and feathers)

The blended materials are listed in order of highest percentage by weight. For example if a filling contains 7 oz. of polyester and 3 oz. of cotton, the correct label is:


70% POLYESTER FIBER
30% COTTON FIBER

For PLUMAGE (down and feathers) blended with other fillings
The plumage part and the non-plumage part are listed in order of highest percentage by weight.

The % of of the plumage part is described as follows:
75+% down cluster: DOWN
50-74 % down cluster: DOWN & FEATHERS
5-49 % down cluster: FEATHERS & DOWN
< 5 % down cluster: WATERFOWL FEATHERS

After the above declaration, the % of down and/or feathers shall be further described. Also, the specie of the feathers or the term “WATERFOWL FEATHERS” must be used in the further description.

For example if a product contains 70% Polyester and 30% Waterfowl Feathers the label is:

70% POLYESTER FIBER
30% WATERFOWL FEATHERS
(or)
POLYESTER FIBER 70%
WATERFOWL FEATHERS... 30%

If the product contains 70% Polyester and 30% down and feathers ( 50% Down & 50% Feathers):

70% POLYESTER FIBER
30% DOWN & FEATHERS
(50% DOWN / 50% WATERFOWL FEATHERS)
(or)
POLYESTER FIBER............ 70%
DOWN & FEATHERS .......... 30%
(50% DOWN / 50% WATERFOWL FEATHERS)

If the product contains 70% Polyester and 30% down plumage where the down cluster is at least 75%:

70% POLYESTER FIBER
30% DOWN
(MINIMUM 75% DOWN)
(or)
POLYESTER FIBER............. 70%
DOWN .............................. 30%
(MINIMUM 75% DOWN)

POLYESTER TERMINOLOGY
Polyester Fiber, Polyester Fiber Batting, and Polyester Fiber Pad
California requires additional descriptive nomenclature to be used in conjunction with definitions such as the terms "pad, batting and resinated". For example, if the polyester used is a batting then you would use the term "POLYESTER FIBER BATTING", if it is in the form of a pad then you would use "POLYESTER FIBER PAD". If the polyester is a loose fill then you would only use the term POLYESTER FIBER.

Pennsylvania however does not have the terms "batting" and "pad" in their allowed nomenclature. If you need to use these terms in order to comply with both states a variance form must be sent to the Department of Labor and Industry, Industrial Board, in Pennsylvania.
PACKAGING AND ADVERTISING

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR BLENDED FILLING PRODUCTS
1. Packaging and Advertising should convey to the consumer the actual contents of the product.
2. Packaging and Advertising should not conflict with the law tag label.
3. Packaging and Advertising should not confuse which part of the blend has more weight.

LAW TAG LABEL

INCORRECT PACKAGING & ADVERTISING

CORRECT PACKAGING & ADVERTISING

70% POLYESTER FIBER
30% GOOSE FEATHERS

Feather Pillow
Feather Plus Pillow

Poly/Feather Pillow

Polyester Plus Pillow
(Filling of Polyester & Down)

70% DOWN PLUMAGE
(MINIMUM 80% DOWN)
30% POLYESTER FIBER

Down Pillow
Down Plus Pillow

Down / Poly Pillow

Down Plus Pillow
(Blended with Polyester)

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