"If they can copy a Louis Vuitton bag, then it's just as easy to stamp a U.S. flag on it," goes the complaint about phoney "Made in USA" labeling.
The Federal Trade Commission is the primary enforcement agency for such product labeling, advertising and marketing claims. Guidelines from the FTC require that for a product to be marked "Made in the USA" it must be "all or virtually all" made in the United States.
"There definitely are companies getting 'Made in the USA' wrong, easily out of ignorance if not malice," said Don Luther, a former U.S. Customs officer and owner of 19CFR Trade Consulting. "If 'Made in the USA' labeling is used, then special care should be taken to obtain documentation on the origin of components and materials used," Luther said. "The analysis is somewhat similar to that used in NAFTA qualifications, where the origin and sourcing of components and materials are also critical."
