U.S. Utah - Sterilization Labelling Requirement for Quilted Clothing

January 1st, 2022, Utah will become the first U.S. state to require a sterilization permit for quilted clothing and apparel. The Sterilization Permit Number (PER. NO.) must appear on the textile label attached to quilted clothing filled with materials such as down, feathers or wool, in addition to other labels required by FTC. The Sterilization Permit Number is issued by Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to identify the sterilizing facility, person, or company and certifies that the filling material is safe for consumer use. Every sterilization facility must have its own Sterilization Permit Number. 

Utah’s recent legislative session enacted Utah Code Annotated § 4-10-14, which became effective May 10th, 2016 and was renumbered to Utah Code Annotated § 4-10-113 on July 1st, 2017. The bill requires all wool, feathers, down, shoddy, hair or other materials to be sterilized before the material is used as filling in new bedding, upholstered furniture, or quilted clothing.  Manufacturers of quilted clothing have been granted a 5-year compliance period to include the sterilization permit number on the textile label. The enforcement date is January 1st, 2022. 

According to the Bedding, Upholstered Furniture, and Quilted Clothing Inspection Act, “Quilted clothing” means a filled garment or apparel, exclusive of trim used for aesthetic effect, or a stiffener, shoulder pad, interfacing, or other material that is made in whole or in part from filling material and sold or offered for sale. “Filling material” means cotton, wool, kapok, feathers, down, shoddy, hair, or other material, or a combination of materials, whether loose or in bags, bales, batting, pads, or other prefabricated from that is, or can be, used in bedding, upholstered furniture, or quilted clothing. 

References

1. Bedding, Upholstered Furniture and Quilted Clothing Program
2. IABFLO – Utah’s Clothing Sterilization Requirement Memo

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