subject: What Goes Into A Mattress Label? [print this page] When buying new products, especially clothing, towels, mats, pillows, and mattresses, it's hard not to notice the abundance of little white labels stitched into seams or zippers. One doesn't tend to take much notice of the labels, other than to get proper washing instructions when necessary. But have you ever thought about what goes into making those labels?
Not only are they made to show proper use and care instructions, the "law labels" also follow specific and enforced laws depending on where they're manufactured and where they're sold. The requirements vary among states and provinces, but there are certain details expected on the majority of law labels.
The following lists the main elements of a Novosbed law label as required by the Government of Canada Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations.
1. Care Instructions provide the consumer with basic care and washing directions for the product.
2. "Not to be Removed until Delivered to the Consumer." This portion states that the label must not be removed by the manufacturer, importer, distributor, vendor, or anyone involved in the product's sale prior to the customer.
3. "New Material Only" guarantees that the product is not made from used or questionable materials.
4. "This label is affixed in compliance with Provincial law." This statement confirms that the product meets provincial (or state) laws regarding its production, importation (if applicable) and sale
5. The Registration Number ("Made by Reg. No.") is a number assigned by the Provincial or State Government. When selling a product, the manufacturer or seller (in this case, Novosbed) must register as, or on behalf of, a Manufacturer of Bedding and Other Upholstered or Stuffed Articles. In Canada, 3 provinces require registration, and in the USA, 15 states require it. The label only shows one registration number. This is because one registration number may represent all 3 provinces, or 15 states, on the law label, even though each province/state will provide its own registration number to the manufacturer.
6. Contents: This section provides the breakdown of the product's contents. On Novosbed mattresses, the label is sewn to the micro-fibre cover only, but the contents listed describe those found in the mattress, fire-retardant cover, and outer cover, respectively.
7. The Federal Requirement section is left blank in case it is deemed necessary to include extra provincial or state information when the product is sold.
8. The Identification Number ("CA55485") is required by the Competition Bureau of Canada. It means that, when looking up this number, the company (Novosbed) can be found to comply with the Canada Textile Labelling Act and its Regulations.
9. There is an additional area including optional information that the Manufacturer may wish to supply to consumers. In Novosbed's case, we have decided to give more detailed information about the contents of the micro-fibre cover.
So, although it's easy to cut off this label and discard it, now you know what goes into making it and what to look for when purchasing a mattress or other textile product.
