Note: This is a practical overview for brands ordering labels, not legal advice. Requirements change and depend on your product and where you sell. Confirm your final label wording with a compliance advisor or the relevant authority.
What an RN is
RN stands for Registered Identification Number. It is issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the US rules for textile, wool and fur products. US labelling rules for most clothing and many home textiles require the label to name a business that is responsible for the product, alongside the fibre content and the country of origin. The RN is a shorthand for that business: instead of printing a full company name, you print the letters RN followed by your number.
Think of it as an identity code rather than a licence. It does not certify quality, it is not a trademark, it does not give you permission to import, and it has nothing to do with customs or tax registrations. It simply links a label to a business on the FTC's records.
Do you need one?
For a garment sold in the US, you need either an RN or your business name on the label. Which one you choose is up to you. The table sets out the trade-offs.
| RN number | Full business name | |
|---|---|---|
| What appears on the label | RN followed by a number | The name your business trades under |
| Space needed | Very little; fits on a size tab or narrow care label | Can be long, especially with “LLC” or “Inc.” |
| Cost | Free from the FTC | Free |
| Available to non-US businesses | No | Yes |
| If you rename the business | Update your details with the FTC; labels keep the same number | Labels need reprinting with the new name |
| Who can see the business behind it | Anyone, through the FTC's public RN database | Anyone reading the label |
Small brands often start with their business name and switch to an RN once they add more styles, because a short number keeps every care label compact. Brands that sell the same products under several trading names also find an RN tidier than printing a different company name on each line.
Who can get an RN
The FTC issues RNs to businesses located in the United States that manufacture, import, distribute or sell textile, wool or fur products. That covers most US apparel brands, private-label sellers, importers and retailers. There is no minimum size, and a one-person business that sells clothing can apply.
If your business is outside the US, you cannot hold your own RN. The usual options are:
- Print your business name on the label. This is the simplest route for overseas brands selling direct to US customers.
- Use the RN of a US business that handles the goods, such as your US importer, distributor or a retailer selling the product under its own label, if that business agrees and the arrangement fits the rules.
Which option fits depends on how your goods enter and move through the US market, so this is a good question to put to a compliance advisor or customs broker before you print a large run.
How to apply
Applications are made online through the FTC's RN system. The process is short:
- Check you do not already have one. Search the FTC's RN database by your company name. A previous owner, a parent company or an earlier version of your business may already hold a number.
- Gather your business details. Legal business name, any trading names, US business address, contact details and the type of business (manufacturer, importer, retailer and so on).
- Complete the online form. Describe the kinds of textile, wool or fur products you handle.
- Receive your number. Record it with your brand assets and give it to everyone who prepares label artwork for you.
- Keep the record current. If your business name or address changes, update your details with the FTC so the number still points to you.
There is no fee. If a website asks you to pay for an RN, it is a third-party filing service, not the FTC.
Printing the RN on your labels
The RN belongs on the permanent label sewn or heat-transferred into the product, because that label stays with the garment for its whole life. A typical US care and content label carries, in some order:
| Element | Example layout | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre content | 100% cotton | Generic fibre names, by percentage of weight |
| Country of origin | Made in China | Where the garment was made |
| Business identity | RN 000000 (your number) | Or your full business name |
| Care instructions | Machine wash cold, tumble dry low | Words or the standard care symbols; see our care symbol guide |
| Size (optional here) | M | Often on a separate size tab |
A few practical points when you lay it out:
- Use the standard form. Print the letters “RN” followed by the number, at a size that is as legible as the rest of the label.
- Keep the required details together. Most brands print the RN on the same label as the fibre content and country of origin, which makes the label easy to check. Placement rules exist for some details, such as the country of origin on garments with a neck, so confirm your layout with your advisor.
- Repeat it on the hang tag if you like. Some retailers ask for the RN on hang tags or packaging, but that is in addition to the sewn label, never instead of it. See what to put on a hang tag.
- Tagless prints count. The RN can be part of a heat-transferred neck print, as long as it stays legible through washing. See tagless heat transfer labels.
Our printed care labels are the usual home for the RN, and our placement guide shows where each label sits in the garment.
Looking up an RN
The FTC's RN database is public. You can search by number to see which business holds it, or by company name to find a business's number. That is useful in three situations:
- Checking a supplier's claim. If a manufacturer or importer tells you to use their RN, look it up and confirm it belongs to the business you are dealing with.
- Before applying. Make sure your business does not already have a number on file.
- Competitive research. Brands sometimes look up an RN on a garment to see which company stands behind a product line.
The last point works both ways. An RN keeps the label tidy, but it does not make your brand anonymous.
RN, CA number and other markets
The RN only covers the United States. If you sell in several countries, each market has its own way of identifying the responsible business:
| Market | Identifier on textile labels | Who can get it |
|---|---|---|
| United States | RN, or the full business name | RN: US businesses only |
| Canada | CA identification number, or the full name and postal address of the dealer | CA number: Canadian businesses, from the Competition Bureau |
| European Union | No RN-style number in the textile regulation; general product safety rules expect the manufacturer's (or responsible person's) name and contact address on the product, its packaging or an accompanying document | Not a registration number |
| United Kingdom | No RN-style number; product safety rules generally expect the producer's identity and contact details on the product or its packaging | Not a registration number |
A brand selling in both the US and Canada therefore often shows an RN and a CA number on the same label, or the business name and address. Our label compliance basics guide explains how to build one label that covers several markets.
Common mistakes
- Paying for a free number. The FTC does not charge for an RN.
- Using an RN that belongs to someone else without checking. Look it up, and make sure the business has agreed and that the arrangement fits the rules.
- Putting the RN only on the hang tag. The hang tag is thrown away; the permanent label must carry the identity.
- Letting the record go stale. After a rename, a move or a change of owner, update the FTC record.
- Assuming it works abroad. An RN means nothing to Canadian or EU regulators. Plan the other markets separately.
- Printing it too small. If the rest of the label is legible but the RN is not, the label is not doing its job.
When you order labels from us, send your RN or business name with the fibre content and the list of countries you sell into. We place everything on the proof for you to check, at no charge. Our first label order checklist covers the rest of the specification.