Registered Identification Numbers (RNs)

Information about Registered Identification Numbers (RNs), issued by the Federal Trade Commission for use on labels on clothing and other textile or fur products, is now available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site, http://www.ftc.gov (no period).

Textile, wool and fur products, covered by the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, the Wool Products Labeling Act, or the Fur Products Labeling Act, are required to bear a label identifying: (1) the fiber or fur content; (2) the business name of the manufacturer, importer, distributor, or seller; and (3) the country of origin. Businesses located in the United States may apply to the FTC for an RN number, which they may use on the label in place of the name.

The RN system has been in place since the 1940s, and the database contains more than 100,000 entries. The Commission has put this data on its website to make frequently-requested information about the identity of RN holders more readily available to the public. The RN Look-Up Service can be accessed through the Business Guidance Page.

Some of the information in the directory may be outdated because it still reflects the information provided to the Commission on the original RN application. Industry members with RN numbers are encouraged to visit the website to check that the identifying data is current and accurate. The form to apply for an RN number, or to update information pertaining to an existing number, is available on the website. A completed form can be mailed or faxed to the Commission’s Los Angeles Regional Office, 10877 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700, Los Angeles, California 90024; fax number (310) 824-4380.

Copies of consumer and business education materials are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-3128; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.