The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has instructed a Florida-based business to prove its claims that it is a flag maker. A July 8 warning letter to Americana Liberty LLC dba Stand Flag Poles points to evidence suggesting that flags purported to be made in the U.S.A. have actually been wholly imported.

Under the Federal Trade Commission Act, products must “all or virtually all” originate in the United States in order to carry that label. Only negligible amounts of foreign content or components are allowed, and final processing and assembly must occur in the U.S..

The warning letter cites marketing materials referring to “American craftmanship” and the Americana Liberty’s use of the “American made” and “Made in the U.S.A” labels, and gives the company five days to respond with proof. Failure to do so could trigger legal action, including a federal lawsuit and civil penalties of up to USD $53,088 per violation.

“Consumers want to have confidence that when they buy something labelled ‘Made in the USA’ they are actually supporting American workers and the American economy,” maintains FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson. “Companies that falsely claim their products are ‘Made in the USA’ can expect to hear from the FTC.”