Via Docuticker.
Maker of Rayon Clothes Barred from Deceptive “Bamboo” Claims
Source: Federal Trade CommissionJust because bamboo is green does not mean that companies who purport to make clothing and other textiles from processed bamboo can make unsupported “green” claims. The Federal Trade Commission today announced a settlement with a company that allegedly falsely claimed its rayon products are made of bamboo fiber, retain bamboo’s antimicrobial properties, and are biodegradable.
Under the settlement, the company has agreed that it will not make any future bamboo claims unless they are true and backed by reliable evidence, and that it will no longer claim that the clothing and bath products it sells are made of bamboo fiber – when they actually are made of rayon processed from bamboo plants.
+ In the Matter of The M Group, Inc., also doing business as Bamboosa…
+ Have You Been Bamboozled by Bamboo Fabrics?
+ How to Avoid Bamboozling Your Customers
There are many a company out there trying to capitalize on the whole “green” thing. There are also a lot of bad cops out there, but that doesn’t make all cops bad.
There is so much more to this story, that it’s hard for me to even determine where to start. I’ll just let you in on a few little nuggets of info, and you can decide if you want to learn more about the other less publicized side of the story.
Did you know that there is extensive, published, scientific documentation supporting the biodegradability of rayon? It is commonly accepted by textile experts. Here is one test from a reputable lab: biodegradability of rayon
Did you know that the standards that the FTC has set forth for bamboo decomposition, would qualify a head of lettuce as NON-biodegradable? How does this help the average consumer that wants to know the attributes of decomposition that a particular fabric may have? It doesn’t help them! Under the FTC’s definition…virtually nothing is biodegradable, including organic cotton. You can learn about that here: FTC claims fruits and vegetables are not biodegradable
I happen to know the owner of Bamboosa, personally. He is a stand-up guy that has no interest whatsoever…in misleading anyone, much less his customers. He’s just not that kind of guy, and he certainly does not run his business in that manner.
Did you know that the FTC has been condemned by Federal Judges, in the past?
In this instance the FTC levied claims against a another small business, while having no evidence whatsoever to support their accusations:
Judge David Sam was so disgusted by the FTC’s actions, he declared, “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) acted wantonly, oppressively, vexatiously and in bad faith in prosecuting claims against Mark O. Haroldsen.”
That is pretty strong language. My point is…don’t be so quick to assume that because your Government said so, it must be true and accurate. You can learn more about the FTC’s ineptness here:
FTC discredits itself
There are about 10 other posts on that blog, that tell the other side of the story. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.
Thanks,
Doug