[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR301.19]

[Page 209-212]
 
                     TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
 
                   CHAPTER I--FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
 
PART 301_RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER FUR PRODUCTS LABELING ACT--Table 
of Contents
 
Sec. 301.19  Pointing, dyeing, bleaching or otherwise artificially 
coloring.

    (a) Where a fur or fur product is pointed or contains or is composed 
of bleached, dyed or otherwise artificially

[[Page 210]]

colored fur, such facts shall be disclosed as a part of the required 
information in labeling, invoicing and advertising.
    (b) The term pointing means the process of inserting separate hairs 
into furs or fur products for the purpose of adding guard hairs, either 
to repair damaged areas or to simulate other furs.
    (c) The term bleaching means the process for producing a lighter 
shade of a fur, or removing off-color spots and stains by a bleaching 
agent.
    (d) The term dyeing (which includes the processes known in the trade 
of tipping the hair or fur, feathering, and beautifying) means the 
process of applying dyestuffs to the hair or fur, either by immersion in 
a dye bath or by application of the dye by brush, feather, spray, or 
otherwise, for the purpose of changing the color of the fur or hair, or 
to accentuate its natural color. When dyestuff is applied by immersion 
in a dye bath or by application of the dye by brush, feather, or spray, 
it may respectively be described as ``vat dyed'', ``brush dyed'', 
``feather dyed'', or ``spray dyed'', as the case may be. When dyestuff 
is applied only to the ends of the hair or fur, by feather or otherwise, 
it may also be described as ``tip-dyed''. The application of dyestuff to 
the leather or the skin (known in the trade as ``tipping'', as 
distinguished from tip-dyeing the hair or fur as above described) and 
which does not affect a change of, nor accentuate the natural color of 
the hair or fur, shall not be considered as ``dyeing''. When fluorescent 
dye is applied to a fur or fur product it may be described as 
``brightener added''.
    (e) The term artificial coloring means any change or improvement in 
color of a fur or fur product in any manner other than by pointing, 
bleaching, dyeing, or tip-dyeing, and shall be described in labeling, 
invoicing and advertising as ``color altered'' or ``color added''.
    (f) The term blended shall not be used as a part of the required 
information to describe the pointing, bleaching, dyeing, tip-dyeing, or 
otherwise artificially coloring of furs.
    (g) Where a fur or fur product is not pointed, bleached, dyed, tip-
dyed, or otherwise artificially colored it shall be described as 
``natural''.
    (h) Where any fur or fur product is dressed, processed or treated 
with a solution or compound containing any metal and such compound or 
solution effects any change or improvement in the color of the hair, 
fleece or fur fiber, such fur or fur product shall be described in 
labeling, invoicing and advertising as ``color altered'' or ``color 
added''.
    (i)(1) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt in 
such a manner that it is required under paragraph (e) or (h) of this 
section to be described as ``color altered'' or ``color added'' shall 
place a black stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width across 
the leather side of the skin immediately above the rump or place a stamp 
with a solid black center in the form of either a two inch (5.08 cm) 
square or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter on the 
leather side of the pelt and shall use black ink for all other stamps or 
markings on the leather side of the pelt.
    (2) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt which 
after processing is considered natural under paragraph (g) of this 
section shall place a white stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in 
width across the leather side of the skin immediately above the rump or 
place a stamp with a solid white center in the form of either a two inch 
(5.08 cm) square or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter 
on the leather side of the pelt and shall use white ink for all other 
stamps or markings on the leather side of the pelt.
    (3) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt in such a 
manner that it is considered dyed under paragraph (d) of this section 
shall place a yellow stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width 
across the leather side immediately above the rump or place a stamp with 
a solid yellow center in the form of either a two inch (5.08 cm) square 
or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter on the leather 
side of the pelt and shall use yellow ink for all other stamps or 
markings on the leather side of the pelt.
    (4) In lieu of the marking or stamping otherwise required by 
paragraphs

[[Page 211]]

(i) (1), (2), and (3) of this section, any person dressing, processing 
or treating a fur pelt so as to be subject to the stamping or marking 
requirements of this paragraph may stamp the leather side of the pelt 
with the appropriate truthful designation ``dyed'', ``color altered'', 
``color added'', or ``natural'', as the case may be, in such manner that 
the stamp will not be obliterated or mutilated by further processing and 
will remain clearly legible until the finished fur product reaches the 
ultimate consumer.
    (5) Where, after assembling, fur garment shells, mats, plates or 
other assembled furs are processed or treated in such a manner as to 
fall within the stamping or marking provisions of this paragraph, such 
assembled furs, in lieu of the stamping or marking of each individual 
pelt or piece, may be appropriately stamped on the leather side as 
provided in this paragraph in such a manner that the stamp will remain 
on the finished fur product and clearly legible until it reaches the 
ultimate consumer and will not be mutilated or obliterated by further 
processing.
    (j) Any person who shall process a fur pelt in such a manner that 
after such processing it is no longer considered as natural shall 
clearly, conspicuously and legibly stamp on the leather side of the pelt 
and on required invoices relating thereto a lot number or other 
identifying number which relates to such records of the processor as 
will show the source and disposition of the pelts and the details of the 
processing performed. Such person shall also stamp his name or 
registered identification number on the leather side of the pelt.
    (k) Any person who possesses fur pelts of a type which are always 
considered as dyed under paragraph (d) of this section after processing 
or any person who processes fur pelts which are always natural at the 
time of sale to the ultimate consumer, which pelts for a valid reason 
cannot be marked or stamped as provided in this section, may file an 
affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer 
Protection setting forth such facts as will show that the pelts are 
always dyed or natural as the case may be and that the stamping of such 
pelts cannot be reasonably accomplished. If the Bureau of Consumer 
Protection is satisfied that the public interest will be protected by 
the filing of the affidavit, it may accept such affidavit and advise the 
affiant that marking of the fur pelts themselves as provided in this 
section will be unnecessary until further notice. Any person filing such 
an affidavit shall promptly notify the Commission of any change in 
circumstances with respect to its operations.
    (l) Any person subject to this section who incorrectly marks or 
fails to mark fur pelts as provided in paragraphs (i) and (j) of this 
section shall be deemed to have misbranded such products under section 
4(l) of the Act. Any person subject to this section who furnishes a 
false or misleading affidavit under paragraph (k) of this section or 
fails to give the notice required by paragraph (k) of this section shall 
be deemed to have neglected and refused to maintain the records required 
by section 8(d) of the Act.
    (1) In connection with paragraph (h) of this section, the following 
method may be used for detection of parts per million of iron and copper 
in hairs from fur pelts including hairs from mink pelts. Procedure for 
detection of parts per million of iron and copper in hairs from fur 
pelts including mink hairs.
    (2) A recommended method for preparation of samples would be: 
Carefully pluck hair samples from 10 to 15 different representative 
sites on the pelt or garment. This can best be accomplished by using a 
long nose stainless steel pliers with a tip diameter of \1/16\ inch 
(1.59 mm). The pliers should be inserted at the same angle as the guard 
hairs with the tip opened to \1/4\ inch (6.35 mm). After contact with 
the hide, the tip should be raised about \1/4\ inch (6.35 mm), closed 
tightly and pulled quickly and firmly to remove the hair.
    (3) Place an accurately weighed sample of approximately .1000 grams 
of mink hair into a beaker with 20 ml. concentrated nitric acid. 
Evaporate just to dryness on a hot plate.
    (4) If there is any organic matter still present, add 10 ml. of 
concentrated nitric acid (see paragraph 7) and again evaporate just to 
dryness on a hot plate. This step should be repeated until the nitric 
acid solution becomes

[[Page 212]]

clear to light green. Add 10 ml. of 1% hydrochloric acid to the dried 
residue in the beaker. Warm on a hot plate to insure complete solution 
of the residue.
    (5) A recommended analytical procedure would be atomic absorption 
spectrophotometry. In testing for iron, the atomic absorption instrument 
must have the capability of a 2 angstrom band pass at the 2483 A line. 
When analyzing for iron the air-acetylene flame should be as lean as 
possible.
    (6) A reagent blank should be carried through the entire procedure 
as outlined above and the final results corrected for the amounts of 
iron and copper found in the reagent blank.
    (7) If facilities are available for handling perchloric acid, a 
preferred alternate to the additional nitric acid treatment would be to 
add 2 ml. of perchloric acid and 8 ml. of nitric acid, cover the beaker 
with a watch glass and allow the solutions to become clear to light 
green before removal of the watch glass and evaporation just to dryness.

[17 FR 6075, July 8, 1952, as amended at 26 FR 3186, Apr. 14, 1961; 34 
FR 381, Jan. 10, 1969; 36 FR 5689, Mar. 26, 1971; 41 FR 2636, Jan. 19, 
1976; 53 FR 31314, Aug. 18, 1988; 61 FR 67709, Dec. 24, 1996]