The first part of this post looked at the legal and practical issues in relation to origin marking. This shorter (and hopefully easier to digest) post explains the meaning of the four origin statements being rolled out for all Factorylux products. Country of origin information is provided not for patriotic reasons, but to be transparent about where products are made and to comply with the letter and spirit of the law on fair trading. It's also about enabling consumer choice: for many people country of origin information helps them make choices about products. And for those to whom origin does not matter, they can ignore the information.
This description is applied to products where all the manufacturing processes take place in the UK. Examples in this category are the enamel, copper and galvanised light shades: all the shade manufacturing processes - cutting, spinning, forming, cleaning, plating, enamelling, polishing, assembly etc - take place in the UK. The raw materials - steel & copper plate, zinc and and glass - might not originate in the UK, but aside from the raw materials every manufacturing process takes place in the UK.
This description is applied to products where the major manufacturing processes - component production and assembly - take place in the UK, but minor components are made elsewhere. Examples in this category are the E27 and B22 brass, silver and bronze lamp holders. The lamp holder components are stamped, machined, finished, polished and assembled in the UK. However, the ceramic insert for cable terminals and bulb contacts are not made in the UK. Because these are minor components, the product still qualifies as 'Made in the UK', albeit not 'Entirely made in the UK'. The same description is used for products manufactured in other countries. For example, the fabric cable is 'Made in Italy' and the traditional filament bulbs are 'Made in Switzerland'. Again, all the major manufacturing processes take place in those countries.
This description is applied to products where the main manufacturing process takes place in the country stated but significant work is undertaken in the UK. An example here is the hooked galvanised ceiling pattress. The major component is the galvanised pattress which is made in India. However, the hook is made in the UK; and the box is drilled tapped and has an earth lead fitted in the UK. It might be legally possible to describe this as 'Made in the UK' but that's not the whole truth, so for Factorylux it's 'Mostly made in India, finished in the UK'
This is the least precise of the descriptions and only used when it's difficult to give country of origin information about where 'most' of the product is made. Examples are the Eco-Filament light bulbs - some components are made in Holland, some in Germany, some in China. The supply chain is so complex, it's not possible to give individual country information. The origin is therefore given as 'Assembled in Taiwan' because that's the place where final assembly takes place.
Made entirely in the UK
This description is applied to products where all the manufacturing processes take place in the UK. Examples in this category are the enamel, copper and galvanised light shades: all the shade manufacturing processes - cutting, spinning, forming, cleaning, plating, enamelling, polishing, assembly etc - take place in the UK. The raw materials - steel & copper plate, zinc and and glass - might not originate in the UK, but aside from the raw materials every manufacturing process takes place in the UK.
Made in the UK
This description is applied to products where the major manufacturing processes - component production and assembly - take place in the UK, but minor components are made elsewhere. Examples in this category are the E27 and B22 brass, silver and bronze lamp holders. The lamp holder components are stamped, machined, finished, polished and assembled in the UK. However, the ceramic insert for cable terminals and bulb contacts are not made in the UK. Because these are minor components, the product still qualifies as 'Made in the UK', albeit not 'Entirely made in the UK'. The same description is used for products manufactured in other countries. For example, the fabric cable is 'Made in Italy' and the traditional filament bulbs are 'Made in Switzerland'. Again, all the major manufacturing processes take place in those countries.
Mostly made in , finished in the UK
This description is applied to products where the main manufacturing process takes place in the country stated but significant work is undertaken in the UK. An example here is the hooked galvanised ceiling pattress. The major component is the galvanised pattress which is made in India. However, the hook is made in the UK; and the box is drilled tapped and has an earth lead fitted in the UK. It might be legally possible to describe this as 'Made in the UK' but that's not the whole truth, so for Factorylux it's 'Mostly made in India, finished in the UK'
Assembled in
This is the least precise of the descriptions and only used when it's difficult to give country of origin information about where 'most' of the product is made. Examples are the Eco-Filament light bulbs - some components are made in Holland, some in Germany, some in China. The supply chain is so complex, it's not possible to give individual country information. The origin is therefore given as 'Assembled in Taiwan' because that's the place where final assembly takes place.
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