Are there any exemptions to the Care Labeling Rule?
Yes.
The following items do not need permanent care labels, but must have obvious temporary labels at the point of sale:
Totally reversible clothing without pockets.
Products that may be washed, dried, bleached, ironed, and dry-cleaned by the harshest procedures available, as long as the instruction, "Wash or dry-clean, any normal method," appears on a temporary label.
Products that have been granted exemptions on grounds that care labels will harm their appearance or usefulness. You must apply for this exemption in writing to the Secretary of the FTC. Your request must include a labeled sample of the product and a full statement explaining why the request should be granted.
The following items do not need any care instructions:
Products sold to institutional buyers for commercial use. For example, uniforms sold to employers for employee use in job-related activities but not purchased by the employees.
Garments custom-made of material provided by the consumer.
Products granted exemptions under Section (c)(2) of the original rule because they were completely washable and sold at retail for $3 or less. If the product no longer meets this standard, the exemption is automatically revoked.