This is an article I came across in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

We thought it was informative as a starting point for someone trying to understand labeling guidelines for Made in America or Made in the USA products.

Made in the USA

What does it mean?

Sunday, March 07, 2010
By Patricia Sabatini, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The "Made in USA" labeling designation means that "all or virtually all" of the product is made in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Much more specifically, all significant parts, processing and labor that went into making the product must be of U.S. origin.

With the exception of cars, textile, and wool products, it is the choice of the manufacturer to state whether a product was made domestically.

Imported goods are generally required to be marked with country of origin, like "Made in Japan." These label requirements are enforced by the U.S. Customs. (Fresh and processed foods fall under separate labeling guidelines).

U.S. companies can also make qualified claims that describe the extent or type of domestic content or processing for their goods. For example, "Made in USA of U.S. and imported parts," "Assembled in USA from Italian leather and Mexican frame," or "60% U.S. content" are qualified claims.

According to the FTC, even when it comes to qualified claims, the product must have a "significant" amount of U.S. content or processing.

Products including foreign parts can be labeled "Assembled in USA" when the principal assembly takes place in the United States and the assembly is substantial. The last "substantial transformation" of the product must also be domestic.

This means that a computer whose major components are imported and are put together in a simple "screwdriver" operation in the United States would not qualify for the "Assembled in the USA" labeling designation.

Any consumer who believes a product is falsely promoted as "Made in USA" can call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 or file a complaint online at Federal Trade Commission or
Complying with Made in the USA Standards.