§ 250.7 - Origin and style of furniture.

(a) Industry members should not make any direct or indirect representation which is false or likely to deceive prospective purchasers of furniture as to its origin, either domestic or foreign. For example:

(1) Furniture manufactured in the United States should not be unqualifiedly described as “Danish”, “Spanish”, “Italian”, “English”, or by any other unqualified terms suggesting foreign origin, unless the fact that such furniture was manufactured in the United States is clearly and conspicuously disclosed in advertising and on the furniture by means of such statements as “Made in U.S.A.” or “manufactured by” followed by the name and address of the domestic manufacturer.

(2) When appropriate, furniture may be described by such terms as “Danish Style”, “Italian Design”, “Spanish Influence”, “English Tradition” or by any other terms accurately descriptive of a generally recognized furniture style.

(3) Because of general understanding by the furniture buying public, terms such as “French Provincial”, “Italian Provincial”, “Chinese Chippendale” and “Mediterranean” are considered to have acquired a secondary meaning as descriptive of the styles of furniture so described. Thus, unqualified use of such terminology, when appropriate, would not be considered deceptive.

(4) Furniture should not be represented by trade name or otherwise as being manufactured in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) area, or in any other furniture producing area, when such is not the fact.

(b) In connection with the sale of furniture of foreign manufacture, members of the industry should clearly and conspicuously disclose the foreign country of origin, when the failure to make such disclosure has the capacity and tendency or effect of deceiving purchasers of such products. The disclosure of foreign origin, when required, should be in the form of a legible marking, stamping, or labeling on the outside of the furniture, and shall be of such size, conspicuousness and degree of permanency, as to be and remain noticeable and legible upon casual inspection until consumer purchase. [Guide 7]