Selling clothing and home textiles online: fibre content, origin and bamboo claims

In 2022 Kohl's and Walmart paid civil penalties to the FTC over textiles sold as "bamboo" that were really rayon. Two of the biggest retailers in the US were caught by one word. Clothing and home textiles look like low-risk products to list, but the words about what they are made of and where they were made are regulated, and online listings carry the same duty as the sewn-in label.

This page covers fibre content, country of origin, the bamboo rule, fur, images, and what Walmart, Amazon, Canada and the EU ask.

What this page covers: clothing, shoes, towels, bedding, curtains, rugs, upholstery fabric and other textile products.

The short version

• An internet listing for a textile product must say whether it was made in the USA, imported, or both, matching the label.
• Rayon or viscose made from bamboo is not "bamboo".
• Walmart asks for fibre content, country of origin and the responsible business on the listing.
• Fur products are named by animal, with origin and other disclosures.
• In the EU and Canada, fibre names follow their labelling laws, and the EU wants fibre composition shown before purchase.

Does a textile listing need to state the country of origin?

Yes. US rules for mail order and internet advertising of textile products ask for a clear statement of whether the product was made in the USA, imported, or both, and it must match the label. It is one of the few rules that names the web page itself, not only the product.

Write it plainly in the description: "Imported", "Made in USA", or "Made in USA of imported fabric", whichever matches your label.

Can you call rayon made from bamboo "bamboo"?

No. Calling rayon or viscose "bamboo" is deceptive under FTC rules, even when the rayon was made from bamboo. The FTC's 2022 penalties against Kohl's and Walmart were over exactly that. Walmart prohibits bamboo-derived rayon claims in its listings.

If your towel's label says "rayon from bamboo", your listing should say the same. Leave "bamboo" alone in titles, keywords and images.

Walmart also asks every textile listing to disclose fibre content, country of origin and the responsible business at the point of sale, and applies the Care Labeling Rule and the Wool Act.

How must fur products be described?

Fur products must be named by the animal in ads, with the country of origin and other required disclosures. Walmart prohibits natural fur, and down or skins from protected animals.

How should clothing and textiles be photographed?

Clothing and textile images should show the care and fibre label and the true colour, and Amazon's clothing images follow a separate set of rules: no suggestive poses, and kids' clothing photographed off a model. Our page on children's clothing rules covers the rest of the rules for kids.

Three images every textile listing should carry:

• A clear photo of the care and fibre label, readable at full size.
• The colour true to the product, in daylight or neutral light.
• For rugs and bedding, an image that shows the real size against something familiar.

What do Walmart and Amazon add for clothing and textiles?

Walmart and Amazon each add rules for clothing and textiles:

How are textiles labelled in Canada?

Textiles sold in Canada follow the Textile Labelling Act, with fibre names in English and French.

When must an EU listing show fibre composition?

Before purchase. In the EU, a textile's fibre composition must be shown before purchase, online included, and footwear carries labelling of its materials.

How Commicorn helps

• Keywords checked against the bans. The keyword step keeps out a keyword a marketplace bans, and marks a claim such as Made in USA with what the marketplace asks for.
• Your fabric, as photographed. On the Untouched product route your photo's pixels are never redrawn, so the label, the weave and the colour stay as they are.

Questions sellers ask

Do I have to say "Imported" on a textile listing?

Yes, if the product was imported. An internet listing for a textile product must say whether it was made in the USA, imported, or both, matching the label.

Can I call a towel made of bamboo rayon "bamboo"?

No. Rayon or viscose made from bamboo is not "bamboo" under FTC rules, and Walmart prohibits bamboo-derived rayon claims.

What does Walmart require on clothing and textile listings?

Fibre content, country of origin and the responsible business at the point of sale, with the Care Labeling Rule and the Wool Act applied.

Can I sell fur on Walmart?

No. Walmart prohibits natural fur, and down or skins from protected animals.

Do textiles sold in Canada need French labels?

Yes. Textiles sold in Canada follow the Textile Labelling Act, with fibre names in English and French.

Before you list

Have the fibre content, an origin statement that matches your label ("Imported", "Made in USA" or "Made in USA of imported fabric") and a readable photo of the care and fibre label ready before the listing goes live, and keep "bamboo" out unless the label says it. A borderline case is settled by the rule for the market you sell in: the FTC's textile rules in the US, Walmart's textiles and apparel policy, Canada's Textile Labelling Act and the EU's Regulation 1007/2011, all linked below.