what exactly is the purpose of those “do not remove” tags on matresses and pillows? it’s confused me since i was 6. why are they there and why shouldn’t we remove them? 
welcome to the SDMB. You can remove them once you have purchased the mattress. It is the merchant who cannot remove them and the purpose is so that you, the customer, can read them. Simple, huh?
why would you want to read them, though? is this some kind of conspiracy i should know about?
Apparently you haven’t ever read them. 
They contain a list of materials used and a manufacturer’s assurance that the materials listed are accurate. That way you know exactly what’s in the thing you’re purchasing.
So you know what they are made of. If you have a severe silk alergy it would be not good to get a silk pillow. More likely US companies wanted to make sure that patriotic customers are assured to know they are getting genuine domestic goods.
And it is worth repeatuing. the warnings says do not remove except by the consumer. so go ahear and remove.
brian
what kind of person wouldn’t know what silk is if they are allergic to it? look at it. its silk.
The tag can get more specific than what is on the outside of an item. A pillow could have something inside it (i.e., the stuffing) to which the consumer may be allergic and might experience a reaction if he or she sleeps on it. The tag would list this.
:smack: i feel so stupid!:smack:
It appears that the exception for consumes became common about 15 years ago, or earlier, as this Fortune Magazine story is from 2001.
The article notes that the FBI isn’t on the case, but that some states - Texas is named - do check stores to make sure the tag is still attached.
hold on. i live in Texas. so if i owned a matress store and there was one with no tag, i would get arrested? what kind of law is this? we call this a free nation? im going to cuba!:eek:
It’s not a criminal offense in Texas, but a person can be fined up to $25,000 for each violation of the Texas statutes, Chapter 345, “Bedding”. Read all about it.
Those tags also show a model name of the mattess, warranty information, where manufactured and the date of manufacture. If you ever need to call a mattress manufacturer for warranty service, the first thing asked is that the tag is intact.
But that would mean that if you removed it (you, the consumer), you’d void the warranty? Hm.
I cannot speak for all manufacturers, but in Sealy’s case, yep, you were pretty much screwed.
You have a problem with laws aimed at protecting consumers? I want to know if something is cotton or silk or rayon. “Free country” does not mean “lawless country”. If you want that kind of freedom I highly recommend Afghanistan. But I get a feeling you wouldn’t last long there.
i was just joking about the cuba thing.
What if i had accidentally removed the tag in some way… i would have to pay all that money? thats crazy!:mad:
forgive me, i’m blonde.
To answer your hypothetical question…
IF you had a mattress store and somehow a tag was “accidentally” removed from the mattress, you would have to contact your mfg rep and arrange for a replacement. I do not think that you could legally sell that mattress. However, those tags are sewn on pretty good, so it would almost have to be intentional.
IF you had a mattress store and a mattress came in without the tag, the mattress police are not going to come in right away and arrest you. You would be able to present your case, and you would of course have back up reciepts of your legal purchase from the mfg. The mattress police do not lurk around corners waiting for you to tear off the tag, as opposed to what you have seen on TV. IANAL, but IF you sold a mattress without a tag intentionally, AND you were reported, you could be charged with fraud/intention to deceive.
CJo, just to remind you again: These laws apply to mattress sellers, not to consumers. You are free to rip any label off your own mattress as you wish.
Aha! But what if you were selling it, like on ebay? Hm? What then?