đź’ˇ The Truth About Product Origin

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Have you ever seen a label that says “Made in Italy” and assumed the whole product was crafted in Italy? :italy:
What if I told you that most of it might actually be made elsewhere?

This is due to an EU regulation - EU Regulation No. 952/2013 (Union Customs Code) - which defines a product’s country of origin based on where the last substantial transformation takes place.

:handbag: Real Example:
• A luxury bag is mostly manufactured and assembled outside of Italy.
• It’s then brought to Italy, where only a zipper is attached or a final inspection is done.
• Because of that last step, it can legally be labeled “Made in Italy.”

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:red_exclamation_mark: Why This Matters:
• Brands can legally use “Made in Italy” even if most of the work is done elsewhere.
• Consumers might feel misled, thinking the entire product was made with Italian craftsmanship.
• It sparks debate around transparency, authenticity, and the true value of origin labels.

This loophole has been controversial.Should the rules be stricter to reflect true product origins? Or is it just how global manufacturing works today?

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Its kinda funny that that factories use the loophole just so brands can appear more luxurious and ask for more money.
Its also sad because in a way its weird that people perceive Italian craftsmanship as better by default. Guess its all marketing.

Ive ordered Chinese, Turkish and Indian clothing in the past and they are just as good as European brands, if not even better.

I think people just perceive overseas clothing as cheap because they spend a couple pennies on Wish or Temu and expect the same quality as when they buy expensive clothes at their local shops.

I knew of the loophole because I watched a documentary in the past where they showed the warehouses in Italy in which chinese immigrants sew the zippers and labels in clothing so they could add a Made in Italy label. They arent very secretive about it either.

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Consumers may mostly only see the end result.

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Consumers may mostly only see the end result

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Transparency about product origin is essential to maintain consumer trust