Garment Quality

Labels attached to garments have important information about the performance and the quality of each apparel product. Depending on the information provided, it helps consumers decide if they will consume the garment based on the fiber content and care. The United States law makes it obligatory that all garments sold in the U.S. contains permanent clothing labels. With the requirements needed from the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (TFPIA) and Care Labeling Rule; consumers will know what it was made of, where the clothing was made, who made by and how to care for the garment after it's purchased. This mini-assignment was given to the class so we can look at labels on different articles of wearing apparel from the following categories: infant sleepwear, children's, women's and men's. In order to do this assignment, I went to Marshalls, a retail store that sells garments in all the categories. It was nice to know that all the garments I looked at followed the U.S requirements.

I examined a men's cardigan, it stated on the bottom left-side of the garment "Hand wash cold, gentle cycle with light colors, reshape and lay flat to dry". This garment could have disfigured its shape if the care labels did not specifically state to reshape it and lay flat to dry. The junior combat, army vest label printed says that the garment will not fade after washing it. I believe this is gives the consumer a pleasant feeling to know that the garment has warranty on the color fading. The 18 -month baby sleepwear states that the garment is nonflammable. This is very important because as a parent you know your baby will be out and about, touch and grabbing everything that they come across. Therefore, the product brings safety to the baby wearing the tight-fitting sleepwear. Lastly, the toddler's dress I examined said on its care label to "machines wash on delicate". It is important to let consumers know that the dress cannot take normal agitation. The garment will need to be on slow agitation with reduced time, on a gentle cycle.

The obligated and optional information shown on garment labels, allow consumers to make a decisions on rather they want to purchasing garments or not. The garments I examined for this mini-assignment, I believe it has very important information on their labels. The information provided was not only required but helpful to the consumer, making it satisfying to want to purchase