‘Made in USA’ Label Definition Changes for California Products

California Gov. Jerry Brown has approved legislation that would allow manufacturers within the state to use a “Made in USA” label if at least 95 percent of the product is manufactured within the country.

According to Senate Bill 633 author Sen. Jerry Hill, this new legislation would replace a 1961 state law that was passed in a pre-globalization era and placed impractical standards on California manufacturers.

Hill claims that having a more flexible definition to the “made in” label is not a new concept for the state of California. Under current law, California manufacturers can place a “Made in California” label on state-made products as long as 51 percent of the item comes from the state.

Senator Hill claims the new legislation will help promote California jobs and manufacturers, but the Consumer Federation of California has opposed the bill stating it is essentially false advertising.

The current federal standard for “Made in USA” labels mandates that “all or virtually all” of the product is manufactured within the nation and that final assembly of the product occurs within the U.S. as well.

The new California legislation would parallel the federal standard as opposed to the more “literal” approach that the state has imposed on its own, according to Senator Hill.

“Made in USA” Labels

More Americans are choosing to purchase “Made in the USA” items over products made in other countries for various reasons. Many claim it’s worth the higher price because American made products are a higher quality.

According to a 2013 Consumer Reports survey, 60 percent of Americans stated that they would pay 10 percent more for a item made in the U.S.

Other consumers state their reasons for purchasing “Made in USA” products are mostly patriotic. They believe that by buying American made items, they are supporting American jobs and the U.S. economy.

However, some U.S. manufacturers have been accused of taking advantage of customers by falsely labeling products with a “Made in the USA” label in order to charge consumers more for an inferior item.

False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

One of the leading manufacturers of denim jeans in the U.S., Citizens of Humanity, is currently under investigation by class action lawyers over recently surfaced allegations that some of their”Made in USA” products contain parts that are manufactured outside of the country.

The Citizens of Humanity class action lawsuit investigation is looking into these reported false advertising allegations as the company may be in violation of federal and California state laws if they are found to be selling products labeled as “Made in the USA” when certain components of the items are from foreign nations.

The alleged components in question include buttons, thread, fabric, and rivets that Citizens of Humanity uses in their jeans. U.S. manufacturing standards on these components are much stricter than other countries, so customers who purchased Citizens jeans may actually be purchasing an inferior quality product despite the “Made in the USA” label.

If you purchased Citizens of Humanity products in California that included a “Made in the USA” or “Made in USA” label, you may have a legal claim.

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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