Citizens of Humanity ‘Made in the USA’ Claims Under Fire

“Made in the USA” to many consumers means the product will be high quality, durable, safe, and trusted. With that in mind, consumers are willing to pay a premium to purchase items they believe are higher quality and are made in our country.

Some consumers specifically choose products made domestically to support fellow Americans by keeping jobs in the U.S. Are some companies taking advantage of this and using it as a marketing ploy? That idea has led to false advertising lawsuits against companies accused of not being truthful about where their products are really made.

Citizens of Humanity brand jeans are among the products under fire for alleged inaccurate labeling. According to plaintiffs who have filed a lawsuit against the company, “the offending apparel products are substantially made, manufactured or produced from component parts that are manufactured outside of the United States in violation of California law and/or federal law.” Many high-end denim companies actually import fabric from Italy and Japan and assemble the jeans in California.

According to these complaints, the buttons, fabric, thread, rivets and zipper components are all manufactured outside of the United States. A pair of women’s jeans from Citizens of Humanity ranges in price from $168 to $258.

What Constitutes “Made in the USA”?

The definition of “Made in the USA” depends on who you ask. The Federal Trade Commission Act allows these words to be used on the label that contains imported components as long as it is “all or virtually all” made in the United States. The state of California, however, requires that all components of an item must also come from America to be able to display a “Made in the USA” label.

The federal Textile Fiber Products Identification Act requires fiber manufactured or processed in the U.S. to include the “Made in USA” label even if some of the components are made elsewhere. An exception to this is if an imported good, such as fabric, is “substantially transformed” in the U.S. into a new and different product as a result of manufacturing.

In this case, it might not need country-of-origin labeling, but it might not qualify as “Made in the USA.” Ralph Lauren has tried to accurately portray its products by using a label that reads “Made in the USA of imported fabric.”

Lawsuits Against “Made in the USA” Jeans

Citizens of Humanity is facing several lawsuits for allegedly portraying its jeans as “Made in the USA” when its jeans were not made completely with domestic components. The label is allegedly violating California law and federal laws have come into question.

Plaintiffs allege this practice is motivated by profit, as they claim the manufacturers are taking advantage of the view held by many that products “Made in the USA” are superior and are charging a premium, even when the labeling is not totally accurate.

Lawyers are investigating the possibility of a class action lawsuit against Citizens of Humanity for the allegations raised by other plaintiffs.

If you have purchased Citizens of Humanity jeans because of its “Made in the USA” label, you may be eligible for legal compensation. Our lawyers can assist you in determining if you are eligible to join a Citizens of Humanity class action lawsuit.

Join a Free Citizens of Humanity ‘Made in the USA’ Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you purchased one or more Citizens of Humanity apparel products in California in the past four years based, in part, on a “Made in the USA” label, you may be able to seek compensation by joining a class action lawsuit investigation.

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