Is it OK to Label Rayon as Bamboo? FTC Says NO.

A rayon field? Not quite, says the FTC.And now for the next installment of Greenwashing in America. The Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to a few retailer in the U.S. this week- you know, places like Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon and Kmart- and almost 100 others warning them all that they cannot label rayon clothing as bamboo.

So what gives? Why does the FTC need to send these letters. And why on earth are rayon shirts being labeled as bamboo? The Greenwashing bells are sounding off.

Here’s what the FTC does: ‘The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers’ interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies.

In 1938, Congress passed a broad prohibition against “unfair and deceptive acts or practices.”

At the very least, labeling rayon as bamboo is an unfair and deceptive act. But who in their right mind is going hold a rayon shirt up and think- man, that bamboo is so smooth… how do they do that?

Rayon can be made from bamboo- as it can be made from any plant cellulose. It’s also made with that cellulose a whole lot of harsh chemicals.

"While we have seen action by some retailers to correct mislabeled clothing and textile products, our hope is that these warning letters will serve as a wake-up call to all companies, regardless of their size. Rayon is rayon, even if bamboo has been used somewhere along the line in the manufacturing process," says David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Can we get a round of unadulterated applause for this guy? “Rayon is rayon, even if bamboo has been used somewhere along the line…” It’s amazing to hear common sense coming out of the lead guy in a federal department.

In short: He is exactly right. Rayon is awesome, but it is not an eco-friendly material, and it should not be labeled bamboo. Bamboo is hot right now in the green world of materials, and since people know very little about it, they may figure- hmm, well, I guess this is what bamboo feels like… Or they may just assume it’s better for the Earth because some bamboo was used. Etc. It’s about as genuine as labeling something “Natural” because the flavoring used pear extract as a source ingredient. That doesn’t make the whole product natural.

Point being, the labeling is a clear attempt at greenwashing by just about every major box store and online retailer out there- and that stinks about as much as a rayon shirt caught on fire. In addition to the common sense coming from the FTC, I want to see more common sense coming from manufacturers.

While there are no set guidelines about what is “green,” there should be a general agreement on honesty and not trying to pass off things that aren’t even close as green.

Photo Credit: Stuck in Customs (via Flickr under CCL)