Citizens of Humanity Jeans: What Truly Defines “Made in USA?”

If you follow fashion, and designer jeans, especially, you have likely heard of Citizens of Humanity jeans. Citizens of Humanity proudly touts their jeans as “Made in USA.” But are they really?

According to a recently filed class action lawsuit, no. According to the California state law, no. According to federal law, yes. So what’s the REAL answer? It looks like the courts will eventually decide what “Made in the USA” really means.

Citizens of Humanity in a Nutshell

The name of the company itself seems to reflect an essence of oneness, of wholeness, of everyone playing a part. And if you thought the name reminded you of another popular designer denim brand, Seven For All Mankind, that’s because Jerome Dahan is the mastermind behind both brands.

Originally working for Guess Jeans at the height of their popularity in the 1980s, the Paris native brought his passion for “the next generation of jean wearers.”  Citizens of Humanity jeans are Dahan’s latest creation and have brought his fashion ideas to center stage.

These high fashion jeans are sold at upper end retailers and range from $168 to $258 at full retail price. While that may seem like a lot to your average bargain shopper, devotees of the brand say the fit and fabric is like no other, and they appreciate the variety of styles to choose from. Most don’t mind paying a premium for a brand they feel consistently delivers quality.

“Made in the USA” Labeling Questioned

Citizens of Humanity is not the first company to have their “Made in USA” labeling claims challenged. They are just one of the more recent. True Religion jeans, Peg Perego, New Balance shoes, Land’s End, Trojan Condoms, the list goes on and on.

The lead plaintiff in the Citizens of Humanity class action lawsuit stated that she paid a premium for the jeans because she thought they were of higher quality being made in the USA. She also thought she would be supporting domestic jobs and the economy.

When she found out her high dollar denim had components made in China, she felt duped. She said she would not have bought the jeans or paid a premium if she knew the jeans were only assembled in the USA but were made from foreign parts. These statements are echoed in other class action lawsuits for other Made in USA products.

California Versus U.S. Definition of Made in USA

California has the strictest definition for labeling of products as “Made in USA.” All components must be made in the U.S. and all product assembly must occur in the country as well. There is no wiggle room for California labeling mandates.

The federal definition is more lenient in terms of labeling. The U.S. government allows products to carry the Made in USA label if the product components are “virtually all” domestically produced, and the final product assembly must occur in the U.S., but other stages of product assembly may occur elsewhere.

Consumers have different ideas of what the labels mean as well. Some take it more globally that the product is assembled here, while others think every single piece and all aspects of assembly happen here.

The main issue with the Made in USA labeling is that consumers want transparency. If they go to the trouble of reading the label or seeking out American-made products, they want to feel like they are getting what they expect.

Some have proposed a labeling system that declares the country of assembly and the origin of the component parts. “Made in the USA from foreign components” may be general enough to suffice and keep all sides happy. Until then, we will await the outcome of the Citizens of Humanity class action lawsuit to see where the law takes it.

Citizens of Humanity Made in USA Class Action Lawsuit Information

If you have purchased Citizens of Humanity “Made in USA” jeans in the last few years, you may be eligible to join a 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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