Material changes and heated discussions

If you’re in the textile industry or sell home HVAC equipment (and especially if you’re in the textile industry and sell HVAC equipment, in which case we’re dying to know what your store looks like), you’ll want to jot down some important dates from the FTC.

As part of its systematic review at rules and guides, the FTC has announced that it’s tagged the Textile Rules for another look. Those Rules require that textiles sold in the U.S. have labels disclosing the generic names and percentages by weight of the fibers in the product, the manufacturer or marketer name, and the country where the product was processed or manufactured. The FTC has extended the deadline for public comments to February 2, 2012. Save some time by filing your comment online.

Also under review are new energy labeling requirements for residential furnaces, central air conditioners, and heat pumps. The purpose of the change? To help consumers and businesses install equipment appropriate for their locale under the Department of Energy’s new regional efficiency standards. The FTC has extended its comment deadline to February 6, 2012, which coincides with the deadline in a related proceeding underway at DoE. One energy-saving tip: File your comment online.