Citizens of Humanity ‘Made in USA’ Labels Face Scrutiny

Citizens of Humanity, one of the leading manufacturers of luxury denim jeans, is facing scrutiny regarding “Made in the USA” label claims.

A Citizens of Humanity class action lawsuit filed by two customers claims that the high-end denim company falsely labels its product as being Made in USA when there are components that are made outside of the country.

Plaintiffs Louisa Clark and Robyn Mamell claim that this is in violation of the California Business and Professions Code, which requires that all components of a product be made in this country.

The Made in USA lawsuit filed in California against Citizens of Humanity alleges that the denim jean manufacturer includes parts such as fabric, thread, zippers, buttons and rivets that are foreign made.

According to the Citizens of Humanity lawsuit, both Macy’s and Citizens of Humanity have acknowledged that the Made in the USA label appears on some of the jeans that feature parts made outside of the U.S. The plaintiffs allege that based on inclusion of any foreign material, the product should not contain a Made in the USA label under California laws.

Made in the USA Standards

According to the Federal Trade Commission, manufacturers are not required to make a Made in the USA claim but if they do, it must meet certain standards. The federal law regarding Made in USA labels states that “all or virtually all” of the product has been made inside the country. The FTC further explains that “products should not contain any – or should contain only negligible – foreign content.” 

However, under California state law Made in USA labels require that product must be entirely made from materials that are American made. A California district court ruled that federal laws concerning Made in the USA labels do not preempt state laws. In other words, products with a Made in USA label sold in California face stricter laws.

Made in USA Labels

More than 1,300 retailers around the world distribute Citizens of Humanity jean products. In the U.S., Citizens of Humanity denim items are sold at Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and online at shopbop.com.

Citizens of Humanity customers say they choose to purchase Made in the USA items over foreign made items because American made products are a higher quality. Other consumers state their reasons for purchasing items labeled as Made in USA are mostly patriotic. They say that by purchasing American made items they are supporting American jobs and the U.S. economy at the same time.

According to a Consumer Reports survey, 60 percent of U.S. residents state that they would pay 10 percent more for an item that was labeled as Made in the USA. However, some manufacturers like Citizens of Humanity have been accused recently of taking advantage of customers in order to charge more by claiming a product is Made in the USA when it isn’t.
If you purchased a Citizens of Humanity product in California, you can contact an attorney to find out if you have legal claim.

The Citizens of Humanity Class Action Lawsuit is Clark v. Citizens of Humanity LLC, et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-01404, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

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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