Reading a Label Before You Buy or Give
Several of the gifts we write about here, pillows, tea towels, blankets and sweaters among them, are textile goods, which means two federal labeling rules apply to them whether or not a shopper ever notices the tag.
What the Fiber Content Tag Is Required to Say
Under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, most textile items sold in the US must carry a label listing fiber content by percentage of weight, the country of origin and the identity of the manufacturer or seller. When a product blends several fibers, the label lists them in descending order by weight, and any fiber making up less than 5 percent of the total can simply be grouped as "other fibers" rather than named.
A Permanent Care Label Is a Federal Requirement, Not a Suggestion
The FTC's Care Labeling Rule separately requires that textile wearing apparel and certain piece goods carry a label with washing and drying instructions that stays attached and legible for the useful life of the item, not just at the point of sale. Care symbols can supplement the written instructions, but they can't replace them.
Why This Is Worth a Glance Before You Give Something
A quick look at both tags tells you more than a product photo can: whether a "cotton" blanket is mostly cotton or mostly something else, and whether the care routine matches the life the recipient is likely to give it. That's a useful check before wrapping anything soft.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission, "Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts" and Federal Trade Commission, "Care Labeling of Textile Wearing Apparel & Certain Piece Goods."