When to use rn# and ca#?

If you're planning on expanding into Canada, you might as well be ready for that now. That way you won't have any problems transitioning (like not being able to sell old stock in Canada because the labels aren't updated). The numbers can be pretty small and out of the way.

As far as I know Mexico doesn't have a registration system. Off the top of my head Canada and the United States are the only places I know with them, though I think there are probably a couple more (it's a big world).

Solmu said:

If you're planning on expanding into Canada, you might as well be ready for that now. That way you won't have any problems transitioning (like not being able to sell old stock in Canada because the labels aren't updated). The numbers can be pretty small and out of the way.

As far as I know Mexico doesn't have a registration system. Off the top of my head Canada and the United States are the only places I know with them, though I think there are probably a couple more (it's a big world).

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Where does one go to apply to get a CA number?
I can't believe that there might be more countries with their own number requirement. If I want to sell my shirts to every country in the world I will have to have ALL the numbers shown? I'm looking at shirts from Target and I only see RN and CA.

This is what I've found out about the CA number so far. You can only apply for a CA number if your business is in Canada. If your business is in the US and you want to sell to Canadian customers you will have to have your company name AND your address on your label.

That sounds like a strange requirement to me. How many of you have your address printed on your shirt tag? I'm pretty sure most of us in the US have been shipping to Canadian customers with shirts that don't have the CA number or our address on the tag and apparently that's not legal to do.

tuan said:

This is what I've found out about the CA number so far. You can only apply for a CA number if your business is in Canada. If your business is in the US and you want to sell to Canadian customers you will have to have your company name AND your address on your label.

That sounds like a strange requirement to me. How many of you have your address printed on your shirt tag? I'm pretty sure most of us in the US have been shipping to Canadian customers with shirts that don't have the CA number or our address on the tag and apparently that's not legal to do.

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You don't *have* to have *your own* CA number or RN number when selling t-shirts. You can just use the RN number (or CA number) for the manufacturer and you'll be fine.

Rodney said:

You don't *have* to have *your own* CA number or RN number when selling t-shirts. You can just use the RN number (or CA number) for the manufacturer and you'll be fine.

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Actually I just called the Canadian office that handles questions on the CA number and they told me that if a business is located outside of Canada you can not apply for a CA number. However if you plan on selling your shirts to Canadian consumers who live in Canada you MUST have the following info on your tag as a substitute for a CA number:

1. Fiber content in English AND in French
2. Your company name
3. Physical address of your business

The person I spoke to was very clear and explicit on this.

What I want to know is if I relabel my shirts can I use the CA number that was originally on the American Apparel shirt and put that next to my own RN number?

tuan said:

What I want to know is if I relabel my shirts can I use the CA number that was originally on the American Apparel shirt and put that next to my own RN number?

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You're asking the same question in more than one thread, so it makes it harder to keep up with the conversation

You don't need to use your own RN number at all. That's an unnecessary extra step.

As I've mentioned, you can just use the American Apparel RN and CA numbers.

If you're getting your own RN number so people don't know which blanks you're using, but then you use the CA number for American Apparel, then people will just as easily be able to find out which blanks you're using by looking up that number.

Rodney said:

You're asking the same question in more than one thread, so it makes it harder to keep up with the conversation

You don't need to use your own RN number at all. That's an unnecessary extra step.

As I've mentioned, you can just use the American Apparel RN and CA numbers.

If you're getting your own RN number so people don't know which blanks you're using, but then you use the CA number for American Apparel, then people will just as easily be able to find out which blanks you're using by looking up that number.

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So you're saying that I can reprint American Apparel's RN and CA numbers when I do my own label? That is allowed?
Thanks Rodney.

tuan said:

So you're saying that I can reprint American Apparel's RN and CA numbers when I do my own label? That is allowed?

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Yes, you can re-use American Apparel's RN and CA numbers on American Apparel products, even if you re-label them with your own label. The RN (and CA) indicates the party responsible for manufacture of the product, which doesn't change when you change the label.

I think it is really a bad idea to take legal advice from folks who play a lawyer on a forum......With that said I think you need to make a further inquiry with the "Competition Bureau" in Canada to double check.....

I called the competition bureau this morning......They say the CA# belongs to the "dealer" who registered it......The original label can not be removed without express permission from the "dealer"....The garment can be re-branded using original CA# if you have express permission from "dealer" whose CA number you are using....

royster13 said:

I think it is really a bad idea to take legal advice from folks who play a lawyer on a forum......With that said I think you need to make a further inquiry with the "Competition Bureau" in Canada to double check.....

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I think the "lawyers" that you're referring on this forum are people who have gone through this for a while and have done research on their own so hopefully they know what they are talking about. I think what you're saying about getting permission from the manufacturer to reprint the RN or CA numbers is probably correct but let's not forget that all these shirt makers like American Apparel market their blanks to the screen printing industry so I'm pretty sure the practice of reprinting their RN and CA numbers is known and probably allowed.

Well based on the conversation I had with the Competition Bureau (Canada Government) this morning I know what I think is "right" and how I would do it.....If others want to do their own thing, feel free....

royster13 said:

Well based on the conversation I had with the Competition Bureau (Canada Government) this morning I know what I think is "right" and how I would do it.....If others want to do their own thing, feel free....

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I'm sure what the Competition Bureau told you is correct. What I think is that these shirt makers are not going to say NO when you ask for permission to reprint their info so people just do without asking. My screen printer didn't ask me if I got permission from American Apparel to reprint their RN and CA numbers and I'm sure no screen printer who offers relabeling service is going to ask you that. Also for these shirt manufacturers to not allow you to reprint their RN and CA numbers is to say no we don't want you to buy our shirts and you know that's not going to happen.

This discussion is only about CA number....RN numbers are a different animal.....And I already know it is illegal to re-use an RN number.....

royster13 said:

And I already know it is illegal to re-use an RN number.....

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Interesting, since that contradicts everything written previously on the topic - including straight from the source (i.e. the FTC). Could you please share a credible source with the forum? It would be very useful.

Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts

Replacing another company’s label with your own40 An importer, distributor, or retailer may want to replace the original label on a textile product with a label showing its company or RN. This is perfectly legal as long as the new label lists the name or RN of the person or company making the change.
NOTE: If you remove a label containing required information, the label you substitute also must contain that required information. Otherwise, you’ve violated the Textile Act.

Yes, we know about that bit, but can you please quote the part where "it is illegal to re-use an RN number". Just because it's legal to change to your own, doesn't mean it's illegal not to.

This is perfectly legal as long as the new label lists the name or RN of the person or company making the change.