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USA - 2000 Labeling Standards - ABFLO Document
ABFLO Annual Meeting March 4, 1999

I move that ABFLO adopt a down and feather labeling standard as follows:

The minimum percentage of down for a product to be labeled "DOWN" shall be 75% with zero tolerance. The label "DOWN" is a qualified general label and shall also include in parentheses, the minimum percentage of down and other remaining components. Accurate labeling of down and feather blends shall also be required.

As ABFLO's Guides for Labeling of Down (ISPA Manual of Labeling Laws, page 21 Section V-6) has been rescinded, I also move that the following shall be adopted by ABFLO as the new Section V-6 after careful review by the lab committee:

V-6. LABELING OF DOWN & FEATHER PRODUCTS

A. Down products.

The term "DOWN" may be used to designate any industry product containing a minimum of 75% down and plumules. The "DOWN" label is a qualified general label and shall also include in parentheses the actual percentage of down.

DOWN (Minimum XX% down, remainder consists of waterfowl feathers)

The remainder normally consists of waterfowl feathers and small amounts of other components. If these other components exceed the following maximums, the percentage of such components must be labeled:

Down Fiber	maximum 10%
Feather Fiber	maximum 10%
Chopped, Damaged & Crushed Feathers	maximum 2%
Landfowl Feathers	maximum 2%
Residue	maximum 2%
Quill Feathers	maximum 0%

B. Down and Feather Blended Products.

The term "DOWN AND FEATHERS" may be used to designate any plumage product containing between 50% and 74% down and plumules.
The term "FEATHERS AND DOWN" may be used to designate any plumage product containing between 5% and 49% down and plumules.

The above terms are qualified general labels and shall also include in parentheses the actual percentage of down and other remaining components as follows:

DOWN & FEATHERS (Minimum XX% down, Remainder consists of waterfowl feathers)
FEATHERS & DOWN (Minimum XX% down, Remainder consists of waterfowl feathers)

Down Fiber	maximum 10%
Feather Fiber	maximum 10%
Chopped, Damaged & Crushed Feathers	maximum 7% of feather portion
Non-waterfowl Feathers	maximum 5% of feather portion
Residue	maximum 2%
Quill Feathers	maximum 0%

C. Waterfowl Feather Products

The term "WATERFOWL FEATHERS" may be used to designate any industry plumage product containing a minimum of 80% waterfowl feathers. The remaining 20% may contain down, down fiber, feather fiber, chopped and damaged feathers, and non-waterfowl feathers.

If other components exceed the following maximums, the percentage of such components shall also be labeled:

Down Fiber	maximum 10%
Feather Fiber	maximum 10%
Chopped, Damaged & Crushed Feathers	maximum 7%
Landfowl Feathers	maximum 5%
Residue	maximum 2%
Quill Feathers	maximum 0%

D. Other Plumage Products

Plumage products which do not meet requirements for any of the above categories must be labeled accurately with each component listed separately.

For example:

50% Waterfowl Feathers
30% Chicken Feathers
17% Damaged Waterfowl Feathers
3% Down

E. Percentage Claims

A plumage product should not be designated as "100% Down," "All Down," "Pure Down," or by other similar terms unless it, it fact, contains 100% down.

F. Tolerances

No tolerance is allowed for the minimum percentage of down as stated in the above listed categories.

G. Designation of species

An plumage product may be labeled by the name of a designated waterfowl species if a minimum of 90% of the waterfowl plumage contained therein is of that species.

H. Cleanliness

All plumage products must have an oxygen number of no greater than 10 as determinded by the ABFLO/IDFB test for oxygen number.

I. Adulteration

The maximum content for certain components listed above are not to be construed to permit intentional adulteration of plumage products.

J. Test Methods

Testing shall be done according to test methods published by IDFB.

F. Effective Date

The new ABFLO labeling guides are effective immediately. Retailers and manufacturers will be given 6-12 months to allow for the sale of previously labeled products in inventory.

USA DOWN & FEATHER LABELING CHART
BASED ON NEW ABFLO GUIDES

Label	Required Down	Maximum Landfowl Feathers*	Maximum Damaged Feathers*	Maximum Residue*	Maximum Residue*	Maximum Feather Fiber*
Down (Minimum 90% down)	90%	2.0%	2.0%	2%	10%	10%
Down (Minimum 85% down)	85	2.0	2.0	2	10	10
Down (Minimum 80% down)	80	2.0	2.0	2	10	10
Down (Minimum 75% down)	75	2.0	2.0	2	10	10
Down & Feathers (Minimum 70% down)	70	2.0	2.1	2	10	10
Down & Feathers (Minimum 65% down)	65	2.0	2.5	2	10	10
Down & Feathers (Minimum 60% down)	60	2.1	2.8	2	10	10
Down & Feathers (Minimum 55% down)	55	2.3	3.2	2	10	10
Down & Feathers (Minimum 50% down)	50	2.5	3.5	2	10	10
Feathers & Down (Minimum 40% down)	40	3.0	4.2	2	10	10
Feathers & Down (Minimum 30% down)	30	3.5	4.9	2	10	10
Feathers & Down (Minimum 20% down)	20	4.0	5.6	2	10	10
Feathers & Down (Minimum 10% down)	10	4.5	6.3	2	10	10
Feathers & Down (Minimum 5% down)	5	4.8	6.7	2	10	10
Feathers	--	5.0	7.0	2	10	10

* If Components exceed listed Maximum -- Such component percentages must be clearly labeled

Examples Of Proper Labels

GOOSE DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 75% GOOSE DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF GOOSE FEATHERS)

WHITE GOOSE DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 85% WHITE GOOSE DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF WHITE GOOSE FEATHERS)

DUCK DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 80% DUCK DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF DUCK FEATHERS)

DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 90% DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF WATERFOWL FEATHERS)

GOOSE DOWN AND FEATHERS
(MINIMUM OF 65% GOOSE DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF GOOSE FEATHERS)

DUCK DOWN AND FEATHERS
(MINIMUM OF 50% DUCK DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF DUCK FEATHERS)

DOWN AND FEATHERS
(MINIMUM OF 70% DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF WATERFOWL FEATHERS)

GOOSE FEATHERS AND DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 20% GOOSE DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF GOOSE FEATHERS)

FEATHERS AND DOWN
(MINIMUM OF 5% DOWN, REMAINDER CONSISTS OF WATERFOWL FEATHERS)

USA - 2000 Labeling Standards - ABFLO Document ABFLO Annual Meeting March 4, 1999