Why is it illegal to cut the tag off of mattresses?

Question

You know the little plastic tags on the corner of mattresses, the contents of which I've never bothered to read, well, why is it against the law to cut those off? I mean, isn't it private property? And why do they care anyway?

Answer 1

Actually that warning applies to the retailer, not the customer. So I have been told, anyway.

Answer 2

Because once upon a time all sorts of horrible stuff was used as mattress stuffing. The government enacted a law to ensure only "new white material" (basically virgin cloth that hadn't ever been used for anything else beforehand) could be used to to stuff mattresses and the tag is an indication that the mattress meets this requirement. It is illegal for the mattress store to remove the tag, but once you've bought the mattress, you can gleefully shred the little sucker (the tag, not the mattress) without any fear of penalty.

Answer 3

heres an answer from yahoo too...

Dear Yahoo!:
Why can't you take the tag off your mattress?
Britany
Millington, Tennessee

Dear Britany:
Cut off your mattress tag already! Don't worry, you won't get locked up. As a consumer, it's perfectly legal to remove the tag from your own mattress. So why is it there? Well, the answer is somewhat involved.
Back in the 1900s, mattresses often contained a host of vermin and disease-carrying materials. To protect consumers, the government required dealers to post tags on their mattresses listing the contents. Later, the Feds added a warning to the content tag with the ominous message, "Do not remove under penalty of law," in big, black letters.

The move may have deterred duplicitous mattress dealers, but it only served to confuse consumers who didn't know that the threat wasn't meant for them. Confronted by fear of prosecution, consumers left the tags on their mattresses. Recently, the Feds addressed the misunderstanding by changing the label to: "This tag may not be removed except by the consumer."

Since then, the Feds have long abandoned the pursuit of tag-tearing merchants, though states like Texas still inspect mattresses for tags in stores. They're probably making sure their laws aren't full of fluff.

Answer 4

It's illegal for the retailer to cut it off, not the purchaser. The reason for it is that there was a big resale market in used mattresses at the time the tags were first required, and many unscrupulous sellers would take used mattresses and sell them as new. The tags were supposed to help prevent this.

Answer 5

I don't know if this is true or not.

Back in the 1900s, mattresses often contained a host of vermin and disease-carrying materials. To protect consumers, the government required dealers to post tags on their mattresses listing the contents. Later, the Feds added a warning to the content tag with the ominous message, "Do not remove under penalty of law," in big, black letters.

The move may have deterred duplicitous mattress dealers, but it only served to confuse consumers who didn't know that the threat wasn't meant for them. Confronted by fear of prosecution, consumers left the tags on their mattresses. Recently, the Feds addressed the misunderstanding by changing the label to: "This tag may not be removed except by the consumer."

Since then, the Feds have long abandoned the pursuit of tag- tearing merchants, though states like Texas still inspect mattresses for tags in stores. They're probably making sure their laws aren't full of fluff.

Answer 6

The tag in the back of the mattress can not be bumped off by utilising the producer or the save. besides the undeniable fact that, it relatively is a competent theory to maintain the tag on. The tag can furnish information on whilst the mattress became made, the place it became made (now and back even who interior the production unit made it), and the climate contained interior the mattress.

Answer 7

It isn't illegal to take the tag off of your mattresses or pillows. It is illegal to remove these tags before they have been sold and delivered to the customer. This is for several reasons. Some people have allergies. What is its flammability. How it can be cleaned. those types of things

Answer 8

Actually, it's NOT illegal to cut the tags off of mattresses after you've bought them!

Answer 9

it's not when they're private property. You can do whatever you want after you purchase them. Manufacturers and retailers are forbidden for cutting them off, some people have allergies to some of the materials inside of the mattresses

Answer 10

It's not illegal. If you read the tag, it says "not to be removed except by purchaser" or something along those lines. Once you've paid for it, it's yours - rip that baby off, lol.

Answer 11

Lord re-read the tag. It cannot be cut off by anyone OTHER than the consumer, which is you the purchaser.