Be Honest With Green Claims – FTC Cracks Down

Being “Green” is all the rage.  Companies all over the web are claiming to be green, to sell green products, etc.  But make sure your claims are true or you could be subject to both embarrassment and fines.

According to a news flash from ASICentral: “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has charged four apparel manufacturers with deceptively marketing their products as eco-friendly when the companies’ production processes were, in fact, harmful to the environment. “With the tremendous expansion of green claims in today’s marketplace, it is particularly important for the FTC to address deceptive environmental claims,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The accused companies, which use the business names of Jonäno, Mad Mod, Pure Bamboo and Bamboosa, have claimed some of their clothing products are made from bamboo fiber. Instead, the FTC says those clothes are actually made of rayon, a man-made fiber created from the cellulose found in plants and trees and processed with a harsh chemical. With its latest action, the FTC is pledging to more tightly scrutinize greenwashing, a term used to describe unsubstantiated environmental claims about products. “When companies sell products woven from man-made fibers, such as rayon,” Vladeck says, “it is important that they accurately label and advertise those products.”

To support fair advertising among manufacturers, the FTC has produced a new publication designed to help businesses properly sell clothing and textile products that are made from bamboo. For more information and for FTC compliance rules, go to: www.ftc.gov.

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