The US International Trade Commission (ITC) announced that it has secured an overwhelming triumph to protect US consumers against foreign textile manufacturers and importers that falsely label their bed linens with inflated thread counts. The Washington-based organization found the false labels to be an unfair trade practice and ordered Customs and Border Protection to work with AAVN and deny entry to all falsely advertised textile products.
With the recent Egyptian cotton controversy, this new ITC ruling becomes all the more important. High thread counts are a sign of quality, comfort, and luxury in bed linens. The problem arises primarily in cotton/polyester blends, where manufacturers find it difficult to weave very fine polyester fibres.
This problem was solved by AAVN with Alpha Cotton, a unique manufacturing process that it has patented under US Patent #9,131,790 B2, which covers thread counts ranging from 190 to 1200.
While many manufacturers produce their high thread count bedding under the license from AAVN, including some of the world’s largest manufacturers like Alok Industries and Indocount. Nextt holds all of the licensing rights for Alpha Cotton.
“Other textile importers and manufacturers have chosen instead to falsely label lower thread count fabrics as much higher thread counts. This false labelling sometimes is by over 100 per cent, misleading consumers into unknowingly buying inferior quality products at inflated prices, while also violating the patent,” reads a statement issued by the US ITC.
Also Read – US sees stability in fibre, yarns, fabrics, made-ups, apparel exports
“This is as much a victory for consumers as it is for AAVN and Alpha Cotton,” said Paul Brinkman, Partner of Quinn Emanuel, LLP, adding, “We look forward to Customs’ broad enforcement of the ITC’s order to clean up the textile industry so that consumers can have confidence in the integrity of the products they are buying.”
This ruling will affect fourth quarter business where this fabric is a part of major Black Friday promotions by major retailers. With the Customs and Border Protection enforcement with the assistance of AAVN, consumers will have a big win.
