Team pledges end to label muddle

MELBOURNE: The Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) has teamed with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to develop industry labelling guidelines.

According to comments first reported online at apparelb2bcentral.com, TFIA executive director Ashley Van Krieken confirmed the move followed numerous enquiries made to the TFIA.  

"There are increasing concerns from many companies that there are products being misrepresented in the marketplace, such as garments or home textiles that are labelled as containing certain fibres or material, but in reality do not contain those fibres or material.

"As a result we have been talking to the ACCC for a little while and our plan is to work with them to develop a guide that industry can use to assist them in all aspects of labelling." 

While the guidelines would set out labelling instructions for companies they would not be mandatory, he added. 

"[The guide] will also set out processes companies can pursue if they think things are being mis-labelled or if they are confused about mis-labelling." 

“The idea is that industry is to develop the guidelines co-operatively as well as offer new entrants a ready reference book to assist them.”

It is anticipated that the final document will be available by mid-year following consultation with TFIA members.