USDA Gives OK for "Organic" Labeling for Third-Party Certified Textiles; National Organic Program Policy Clarified

On May 20, 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program ("NOP") issued a Policy Memorandum (PM-11-14) addressing the labeling of textile products containing organic ingredients (such as organic cotton, wool or linen fabrics). The new policy supersedes the July 2008 NOP fact sheet entitled "Labeling of Textiles Under National Organic Program (NOP) Regulations."
 

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Comprenez-vous International Arbitration?

International arbitration is becoming the preferred method of resolving disputes in the fashion industry because international arbitration typically provides: (1) a private resolution so that the parties can still continue their business relationship in the future; (2) a neutral forum; (3) easy enforcement of the judgment throughout the world; and (4) a faster and cheaper dispute resolution than traditional litigation. Yet, not all international arbitrations are created equal.
 

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Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder And New Commercial Privacy Legislation Is Before The U.S. Senate

On April 12, 2011, United States Senators John Kerry and John McCain formally proposed the Kerry-McCain Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights Act of 2011 ("CPBRA"). This proposed legislation would apply to all retailers, including those in the fashion, beauty, and apparel industries, that request and record their customers' personal information. If passed in its current form, the CPBRA would preempt similar state laws, would not provide a private right of action upon which an individual claim could be based, and would cap penalties at $3 million. While that is good news in light of the burgeoning class action privacy-related litigation filed against companies by private plaintiffs under state consumer protection laws, compliance with the CPBRA could potentially be onerous because the CPBRA replaces industry self-regulation with government regulation.
 

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