The Care Label Law — The Single Most Useful Rule
On July 3, 1971, the US Federal Trade Commission's Care Labeling Rule came into effect, requiring all garments sold in the US to carry permanent care instructions. This creates one of the most reliable dating rules in all of vintage fashion:
If a garment has a care label with washing or dry-cleaning instructions, it was almost certainly made after 1971.
If it has no care label at all, it was likely made before 1971 — though some very cheap pre-1971 garments may have had removable hang tags rather than sewn-in labels.
This rule alone eliminates enormous uncertainty. Before you examine anything else, check for a care label. Its presence or absence immediately places the garment on one side or the other of 1971.
💡 Expert tip: The care label law applied to garments manufactured for sale in the United States. European and other international garments followed their own labeling regulations on different timelines. British garments began carrying care symbols in the early 1970s as well, but the specific symbols differ.
US Union Labels — A Complete Dating Guide
Union labels on American clothing are one of the most precise dating tools available. The ILGWU (International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, founded 1900) and ACWA/ACTWU (Amalgamated Clothing Workers / Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union) labeled garments across most of the twentieth century, and each label design corresponds to a specific time period.
| ILGWU Label Design | Date Range | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Early designs, various | 1900–1940s | Simple text labels; multiple regional variations |
| 'ILGWU' in box, woven | 1940s–1959 | White label, red or blue text in rectangular border |
| 'Look for the Union Label' | 1959–1974 | Red/white/blue design; slogan introduced |
| Revised 'Look for' design | 1974–1995 | More modern typography; TV campaign version |
| UNITE label | 1995–2004 | After ILGWU merged with ACTWU |
| UNITE HERE label | 2004+ | Still occasionally appears on union-made garments |
RN and WPL Numbers
Many American garments from the mid-twentieth century carry an RN (Registered Number) or WPL (Wool Products Label) number. These numbers were assigned by the FTC to manufacturers, importers, and distributors.
RN numbers were issued starting in 1959, so any garment with an RN number was made in 1959 or later. Lower RN numbers (under 13,000) were the first assigned and correspond to 1959–1960 registrations. Higher numbers were issued in subsequent years.
WPL numbers predate RN numbers — they were required under the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 for any product containing wool. WPL numbers can sometimes be cross-referenced to identify the manufacturer.
Both number systems can be looked up in the FTC's public database, though the database has gaps and not all searches return manufacturer information.
- ✦RN numbers appear on garments made after 1959 in the US.
- ✦Lower RN numbers (below 30,000) generally indicate earlier registrations (late 1950s–early 1960s).
- ✦WPL numbers appear on wool-containing garments from 1939 onward.
- ✦The FTC Textile Inquiry System allows you to look up RN numbers at ftc.gov.
- ✦Canadian equivalents are CA numbers, appearing on garments made or imported into Canada.
Country of Origin Dating
| Label Text | Date Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Made in USA / Made in U.S.A. | Pre-1971 most common | Widespread before offshore manufacturing |
| Made in Occupied Japan | 1945–1952 | Precise date range — highly collectible |
| Made in Japan (no 'Occupied') | Pre-1945 or post-1952 | Distinguish by other features |
| Made in West Germany | 1949–1990 | After reunification: 'Made in Germany' |
| Made in Hong Kong | 1950s–1990s | Peak: 1960s–1970s in American mass market |
| Made in Taiwan / Republic of China | 1960s–1990s | Common in 1970s–80s US imports |
| Made in Korea / South Korea | 1970s–present | Replaced Hong Kong in 1980s |
| Made in China / PRC | 1970s–present | Rare before 1979 US-China trade normalization |
| Made in England / Great Britain | Any era | Date by other label features |
| Made in France | Any era | Paris couture: look for house name on label |
Fiber Content Labeling
The US Textile Fiber Products Identification Act of 1960 required fiber content to be disclosed on textile products sold in the US. Before 1960, fiber content was rarely listed on garment labels — though some high-quality manufacturers included it voluntarily.
If a garment label lists fiber percentages (e.g., '100% Polyester' or '65% Dacron, 35% Cotton'), it was likely made after 1960. If no fiber content appears and there is no care label, the garment was most likely made before 1960.
Knowing when specific fibers became available also dates garments: Nylon appeared in fashion from 1940; Orlon (acrylic) from 1952; Dacron (polyester) from 1953; Lycra/Spandex from 1959; Qiana (nylon) from 1968.
Size Label Evolution
Vintage sizing is notoriously confusing because American size standards have changed dramatically. A 1950s 'size 14' corresponds to approximately a modern size 8. This is because sizing was originally based on bust measurement (size 14 = 34-inch bust), while modern sizing is more arbitrary.
Size label format also evolved. Pre-1960s American garments often show a single number (12, 14, 16) with no other size information. From the 1970s onward, S/M/L/XL became common alongside numerical sizing. Designer garments increasingly used European sizing (36, 38, 40) from the 1980s.
💡 Expert tip: A common mistake is dismissing a garment as 'too small' based on its vintage size label. Always measure the actual garment rather than relying on the label. A 1940s 'size 16' can measure 34 inches at the bust — a modern US size 6–8.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out who made a garment from an RN number?
Visit the FTC's Textile Inquiry System at ftc.gov/node/41660 and enter the RN number. The system will return the company name and address registered to that number, though historical records may be incomplete for older registrations.
What if the label has been removed?
Look for label-removal evidence: small holes or thread remnants at the back neck seam are telltale. Without a label, date by construction (zipper type, seam finishing, fabric content via burn test) and silhouette. A removed label reduces a garment's value and provenance.
Can I date a garment without any labels at all?
Yes — construction and fabric analysis are independent of labels. Examine zipper type, seam finishing method, fabric fiber content, closure style, and silhouette. The combination usually narrows a date range to 10–20 years even without any label evidence.