§ 301.19 Pointing, dyeing, bleaching or otherwise artificially coloring. ( a ) Where a fur or fur product is pointed or contains or is composed of bleached, dyed or otherwise artificially colored fur, such facts shall be disclosed as a part of the required information in labeling, invoicing and advertising.
( b ) The term *pointing* means the process of inserting separate hairs into furs or fur products for the purpose of adding guard hairs, either to repair damaged areas or to simulate other furs.
( c ) The term *bleaching* means the process for producing a lighter shade of a fur, or removing off-color spots and stains by a bleaching agent.
( d ) The term *dyeing* (which includes the processes known in the trade of tipping the hair or fur, feathering, and beautifying) means the process of applying dyestuffs to the hair or fur, either by immersion in a dye bath or by application of the dye by brush, feather, spray, or otherwise, for the purpose of changing the color of the fur or hair, or to accentuate its natural color. When dyestuff is applied by immersion in a dye bath or by application of the dye by brush, feather, or spray, it may respectively be described as “vat dyed”, “brush dyed”, “feather dyed”, or “spray dyed”, as the case may be. When dyestuff is applied only to the ends of the hair or fur, by feather or otherwise, it may also be described as “tip-dyed”. The application of dyestuff to the leather or the skin (known in the trade as “tipping”, as distinguished from tip-dyeing the hair or fur as above described) and which does not affect a change of, nor accentuate the natural color of the hair or fur, shall not be considered as “dyeing”. When fluorescent dye is applied to a fur or fur product it may be described as “brightener added”.
( e ) The term *artificial coloring* means any change or improvement in color of a fur or fur product in any manner other than by pointing, bleaching, dyeing, or tip-dyeing, and shall be described in labeling, invoicing and advertising as “color altered” or “color added”.
( f ) The term *blended* shall not be used as a part of the required information to describe the pointing, bleaching, dyeing, tip-dyeing, or otherwise artificially coloring of furs.
( g ) Where a fur or fur product is not pointed, bleached, dyed, tip-dyed, or otherwise artificially colored it shall be described as “natural”.
( h ) Where any fur or fur product is dressed, processed or treated with a solution or compound containing any metal and such compound or solution effects any change or improvement in the color of the hair, fleece or fur fiber, such fur or fur product shall be described in labeling, invoicing and advertising as “color altered” or “color added”.
( i ) ( 1 ) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt in such a manner that it is required under paragraph (e) or (h) of this section to be described as “color altered” or “color added” shall place a black stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width across the leather side of the skin immediately above the rump or place a stamp with a solid black center in the form of either a two inch (5.08 cm) square or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter on the leather side of the pelt and shall use black ink for all other stamps or markings on the leather side of the pelt.
( 2 ) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt which after processing is considered natural under paragraph (g) of this section shall place a white stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width across the leather side of the skin immediately above the rump or place a stamp with a solid white center in the form of either a two inch (5.08 cm) square or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter on the leather side of the pelt and shall use white ink for all other stamps or markings on the leather side of the pelt.
( 3 ) Any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt in such a manner that it is considered dyed under paragraph (d) of this section shall place a yellow stripe at least one half inch (1.27 cm) in width across the leather side immediately above the rump or place a stamp with a solid yellow center in the form of either a two inch (5.08 cm) square or a circle at least two inches (5.08 cm) in diameter on the leather side of the pelt and shall use yellow ink for all other stamps or markings on the leather side of the pelt.
( 4 ) In lieu of the marking or stamping otherwise required by paragraphs (i) (1), (2), and (3) of this section, any person dressing, processing or treating a fur pelt so as to be subject to the stamping or marking requirements of this paragraph may stamp the leather side of the pelt with the appropriate truthful designation “dyed”, “color altered”, “color added”, or “natural”, as the case may be, in such manner that the stamp will not be obliterated or mutilated by further processing and will remain clearly legible until the finished fur product reaches the ultimate consumer.
( 5 ) Where, after assembling, fur garment shells, mats, plates or other assembled furs are processed or treated in such a manner as to fall within the stamping or marking provisions of this paragraph, such assembled furs, in lieu of the stamping or marking of each individual pelt or piece, may be appropriately stamped on the leather side as provided in this paragraph in such a manner that the stamp will remain on the finished fur product and clearly legible until it reaches the ultimate consumer and will not be mutilated or obliterated by further processing.
( j ) Any person who shall process a fur pelt in such a manner that after such processing it is no longer considered as natural shall clearly, conspicuously and legibly stamp on the leather side of the pelt and on required invoices relating thereto a lot number or other identifying number which relates to such records of the processor as will show the source and disposition of the pelts and the details of the processing performed. Such person shall also stamp his name or registered identification number on the leather side of the pelt.
( k ) Any person who possesses fur pelts of a type which are always considered as dyed under paragraph (d) of this section after processing or any person who processes fur pelts which are always natural at the time of sale to the ultimate consumer, which pelts for a valid reason cannot be marked or stamped as provided in this section, may file an affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection setting forth such facts as will show that the pelts are always dyed or natural as the case may be and that the stamping of such pelts cannot be reasonably accomplished. If the Bureau of Consumer Protection is satisfied that the public interest will be protected by the filing of the affidavit, it may accept such affidavit and advise the affiant that marking of the fur pelts themselves as provided in this section will be unnecessary until further notice. Any person filing such an affidavit shall promptly notify the Commission of any change in circumstances with respect to its operations.
( l ) Any person subject to this section who incorrectly marks or fails to mark fur pelts as provided in paragraphs (i) and (j) of this section shall be deemed to have misbranded such products under section 4(l) of the Act. Any person subject to this section who furnishes a false or misleading affidavit under paragraph (k) of this section or fails to give the notice required by paragraph (k) of this section shall be deemed to have neglected and refused to maintain the records required by section 8(d) of the Act.
[17 FR 6075, July 8, 1952, as amended at 26 FR 3186, Apr. 14, 1961; 34 FR 381, Jan. 10, 1969; 36 FR 5689, Mar. 26, 1971; 41 FR 2636, Jan. 19, 1976; 53 FR 31314, Aug. 18, 1988; 61 FR 67709, Dec. 24, 1996; 79 FR 30458, May 28, 2014]