A class action has been certified against the Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. on behalf of all persons who, between April 2, 1997, and the date of any eventual judgment in this action, purchased for personal, family, or household purposes any Leatherman tool in California that was contained in packages on which an unqualified "Made in U.S.A." or "U.S.A." representation was made. The action alleges that the company violated California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act by falsely advertising that its products were completely made in America. The action seeks compensatory damages, and an order from the court that will force Leatherman to state truthfully where its tools are manufactured.

The action alleges that the company sold its tools in packaging indicating that they were produced completely in the United States, when in actuality certain parts were manufactured outside the country. California's consumer protection laws--which are more stringent in some ways than those of other states--prohibit the unqualified use of statements like "Made in the U.S.A." if a product is made of parts manufactured in another country, even if the final product was in fact assembled here.