Clothing labels are one of the least understood pieces of paper attached to anything you own. Here's how to actually read one — and the questions worth asking before you trust a "Made in USA" claim.
The three things a label is actually telling you
- Fiber content — what the garment is made of (e.g. "100% Silk"). This part is federally regulated and generally reliable.
- Country of origin — legally, this refers to where the garment was substantially transformed, which usually means final assembly, not where the raw fiber was grown or woven.
- Care instructions — also regulated, and worth following exactly; see our guide on caring for silk garments.
That second point is the one that trips people up. A garment can legally say "Made in USA" based on where it was sewn, even if every inch of fabric was imported — as long as the brand doesn't claim the materials are domestic too. Once a brand adds "of imported fabric" or similar, it's a qualified claim, which is a different (and more honest) thing than an unqualified "Made in USA."
How we label our own pieces
We say "Handcrafted in California" rather than "Made in USA," specifically because our silk is imported from Korea and we don't want the label to imply otherwise. We explain the reasoning in full in what "Made in USA" really means for silk clothing.
Questions worth asking any silk brand
- Where was the fabric woven?
- Where was the garment cut and sewn?
- Is the "Made in USA" claim qualified (e.g. "of imported fabric") or unqualified?
If a brand can't answer the first two clearly, that's worth noting. For more on verifying silk itself, see how to tell if silk is really 100% pure silk.
For the complete picture of our own sourcing and production, start with our Made in USA silk guide, or shop the pieces themselves in Accessories and Gowns.