Down & Feather Labeling Shows Results

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 4/23/2007 12:00:00 AM

New York —

The American Down and Feather Council's (ADFC) Labeling Compliance Program has been making a positive impact on the down and feather bedding industry, with evidence the industry can police its own activities.

Launched in January 2006 with the goal of protecting retailers and consumers from mislabeled down and feather bedding products, the program has acted on and settled 13 complaints to date, with failing products either being removed from sale or re-labeled.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the International Association of Bedding and Furniture Law Officials have been notified of manufacturers' non-compliance with the ADFC program in six cases.

"The industry as a whole has welcomed the ADFC's efforts to ensure labeling compliance," said ADFC chair Stephen Palmer. "It is important to us that retailers and consumers have confidence in our products and we can gain that confidence through rigorous efforts to self-police truth-in-labeling."

The program is designed to ensure that all natural fill bedding products sold in the United States are labeled correctly and that the quality meets the claims made on the label or packaging, as well as federal, state and industry labeling requirements. Tests of the fill material are conducted in accordance with International Down and Feather Bureau (IDFB) testing standards and performed by an IDFB certified testing lab.