Naturally Advanced wins labeling victory

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Naturally Advanced's Crailar Flax fiber can be labeled "flax" for retail, rather than "linen." 

Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. announced Monday that the Federal Trade Commission will allow the company to label products made with its fiber as "flax" rather than "linen."

The distinction is important for the company, which keeps its executive offices in Portland, as it pursues a retail strategy with partners including HanesBrands, Target and Live Strauss & Co., some of the brands that are evaluating or using Naturally Advanced's flax-based Crailar fiber.

"This is an important step in defining the groundbreaking nature of Crailar," said Jay Nalbech, chief marketing officer of Naturally Advanced, in a press release. "Our process results in a pure flax product that feels and can be cared for like cotton, and we believe that articulating that at retail is an important part of the unique brand proposition for Crailar Flax, to the merchandising opportunities of our partner brands, and to the relationship we intend to build with consumers."

In a letter to Naturally Advanced, a FTC official said that describing products made with Crailar Flax as "flax" was in compliance with FTC rules. Further, the official wrote that "describing these fibers as linen rather than flax could mislead or deceive consumers."

Naturally Advanced, which is exploring the opportunity to source flax in the Willamette Valley, announced in March it would invest $8 million in a South Carolina manufacturing plant.