Update (Jan. 21):
On Jan. 21, 2Firsts revisited U.S. online vape retailer Element Vape’s former “Made in USA Disposable Vapes” section and found that it had been renamed “USA AND INTERNATIONAL DISPOSABLE VAPES.”
At the same time, the number of products listed in the section fell to 21 from 25 on Jan. 20, while the page continued to display multiple labeling claims, including “MADE IN USA,” “ASSEMBLED in USA,” and “MADE IN UK.”
Key Takeaways
- Multiple labels on the same platform: Some disposable products are labeled “Made in USA,” while others use claims such as “Assembled in USA.”
- Collection page reinforces the “U.S.-made” selling point: The site features a “Made in USA Disposable Vapes” section and highlights descriptions such as “prefilled with America-made E-Liquids.”
- No publicly stated definitions: In the searchable on-page text, there is no unified explanation of the boundary between terms such as “Made” and “Assembled,” the location of key processes, or the share of components sourced from different places.
- Compliance context matters: Under the U.S. regulatory framework for origin claims, “Made in USA” is generally treated as a stronger claim, and whether a qualified statement is needed depends on the degree of U.S. manufacturing and the supporting evidence.
2Firsts, January 20, 2026
2Firsts observed that U.S. online vape retailer Element Vape uses multiple “U.S.-related” origin labels across disposable vape product detail pages and a dedicated collection page, including “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA,” but does not disclose on its public pages the specific definitions or applicable standards behind these different wordings.
At the product-page level, the platform uses different phrasing for different items. For example, the selling-points section for the Fifty Bar 6500 disposable is labeled “Made in USA,” while the product pages for NOVA Bar 35K and Fasta Alien 51K use “Assembled in USA.” The Fasta Alien 51K page also includes language such as “USA-Based Flavor Lab,” but does not provide further detail related to supply chains or manufacturing steps.
On the collection-page level, Element Vape has set up a “Made in USA Disposable Vapes” section. The section lists 25 disposable vape products, of which 12 are explicitly labeled “MADE IN USA,” seven are labeled “ASSEMBLED in USA,” and two are labeled “MADE IN UK.” The lineup indicates that, while the section is titled “Made in USA,” the origin/manufacturing claims shown on product pages are not uniform, spanning “U.S.-made,” “assembled in the U.S.,” and a smaller number of “U.K.-made” claims.
However, after reviewing the relevant collection page and representative product pages, 2Firsts did not find a unified explanation from the platform regarding the boundary between “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA,” the evidentiary requirements, or the supply-chain conditions supporting each claim.
In the U.S. regulatory context, “Made in USA” is considered a relatively strong origin/manufacturing claim, with a clearly defined threshold.
2Firsts notes that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Made in USA Labeling Rule incorporates the “all or virtually all” standard into labeling requirements: if a product is not “all or virtually all” made in the United States, marketers may not use an unqualified “Made in USA” label; otherwise, they may face civil penalties. The scope of enforcement also covers such claims appearing in catalogs and online channels, including e-commerce pages.
From a market perspective, the U.S. disposable vape supply chain has long been globalized, and it is not uncommon for retailers to differentiate products using wording such as “U.S.-made” or “U.S.-based processes.” But without a publicly stated explanation of how different terms are applied and what evidence supports them, it is difficult for outside observers to distinguish between “Made in USA” and “assembled or partially completed in the U.S.” based on marketing language alone.
Cover image source: Element Vape
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