Clothing and Textiles Regulations in the European Union: A Complete Guide

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Textile Labelling and Fibre Composition Regulation

According to the Textile Labelling and Fibre Composition Regulation, products have to be labelled with information concerning their fibre composition (e.g. 100% Polyester).

Here, we list some examples of common fibres:

• Silk
• Wool
• Nylon
• Polyester
• Cotton

Additionally, non-textile parts of animal origin must be specified, such as fur or leather.

How do I know if my product is classified as a textile product?

According to the regulation, products containing at least 80% by weight of textile fibres are covered. This includes raw, semi-worked, worked, semi-manufactured, and manufactured products. Notice that this is not limited to clothing textiles.

Placement

In general, textile products must carry a durable, legible, easily visible, and accessible label, either on the product or on its packaging. For instance, it is recommended to affix the label on the inner side of a t-shirt, towards the neck.

Sizes and care instructions

Even though the regulation does not require the provision of product size, its inclusion in clothing and certain textile labels aids consumers in choosing products of the appropriate size.

Similar to size labelling, the regulation also does not mandate the provision of care instructions, but including said instructions would help consumers know how to care for their products.

In general, without information concerning size and care instructions, it is possible that neither consumers nor distributors would buy the product. Thus, it is recommended to add such information. It would also increase the risk of returns, in case a piece of clothing is washing in the wrong temperature.

Note that there exist voluntary standards:

• EN 13402, which covers the size designation of clothes; and
• ISO 3758, which covers textile care labelling

REACH

REACH regulates harmful chemical substances in consumer products, including clothing and textiles. Hundreds of chemicals are used during the process of textile manufacturing, including substances that are deemed toxic and, as such, restricted.

For example, phthalates, which are restricted by REACH, might be used to improve the brightness of plastic components. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your products don’t contain substances above the prescribed limitations under REACH.

Does REACH apply to textiles?

Yes, REACH applies to consumer products in the European Union, including clothing and textile products. Note that some restricted substances are more likely to be found in textiles, such as the one that we list below.

What are the main obligations of REACH regulation?

Companies need to ensure that their products comply with:

a. Substance restrictions as listed in Annex XVII

b. Notification obligations regarding substances listed on the SVHC Candidate List.

How do I know which chemicals and heavy metals are restricted for textiles?

As already mentioned, Annex XVII and the SVHC Candidate List provide a list of restricted substances.

For example, Annex XVII bans the use of Tris (2,3 dibromopropyl) phosphate in textiles such as undergarments and restricts the use of azo colourants and azodyes in textile articles to a maximum of 30 mg/kg (0.003% by weight).

In theory, you could take the time to read through these lists and make sure that your products do not contain any substances exceeding the maximum allowed limit.

However, this is not practical. In many cases, it could be difficult even to know what chemical substances your products contain. A lab testing company can help assess which chemicals, heavy metals, and pollutants to test for and perform the relevant tests.

Hence, if you work with a lab, you don’t need to keep track of all substances that might be restricted.

What restricted substances can be found in clothing and textile products?

These are examples of restricted substances that are found in clothing and textile products:

a. Aromatic amines (from azo dyes, used to provide vibrant colours to textiles)

b. Formaldehyde (used to increase colourfastness and anti-wrinkle of the textiles)

c. Phthalates (might be found in plastic parts of the clothing or textiles)

d. Pentachloroethane (used to clean fabrics)

General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)

The General Product Safety Regulation covers consumer products and mandates that “only” safe products can be placed on the EU market. Products that are not safe, and thus might pose certain dangers.

Risk examples

• Contain flammable materials
• Present strangulation threats
• Have small parts that come loose easily

General requirements

Below is a general summary of the GPSR requirements:

a. Compliance with safety requirements – for example, requirements set by relevant harmonised standards

b. Documentation (e.g. technical documentation, instructions, test reports)

c. Labelling (e.g. traceability labelling, warnings, instructions)

Product examples

Here are several examples of clothing and products that contain textiles that are covered by standards harmonised under the GPSR:

• Children’s clothing
• Soft baby carriers
• Framed-back baby carriers
• Gymnastic trampolines

Harmonised standards

When a product complies with harmonised standards, there is a presumption of conformity with the safety requirements set by the GPSR.

According to our knowledge, there are only a few harmonised standards that are relevant to textile products. Here are some examples:

a. EN 14682 – Safety of children’s clothing – Cords and drawstrings on children’s clothing – Specifications.

b. EN 13209-1 – Child use and care articles – Baby carriers – Safety requirements and test methods – Part 1: Framed back carriers

c. EN 13209-2 – Child use and care articles – Baby carriers – Safety requirements and test methods – Part 2: Soft carrier

Other standards

Sometimes harmonised standards for a certain product may not exist. In this case, you can still use relevant national, international, or non-harmonised EN standards to assess the safety of your products. Below we list various EN standards by product category

Children’s clothing EN standards

a. EN 17394 Safety of children’s clothing – Security of attachment of buttons – Test method

b. EN 14878 Textiles – Burning behavior of children’s nightwear – Specification

c. EN 17394-1 – Textiles and Textile Products: Part 1 – Safety of children’s clothing – Security of attachment of attached components to infants’ clothing – Specification

d. EN 17394-2 – Textiles and Textile Products: Part 2 – Safety of children’s clothing – Security of attachment of buttons – Test method

e. EN 17394-3 – Textiles and Textile Products: Part 3: Safety of children’s clothing – Security of attachment of metal mechanically applied press fasteners – Test method

f. EN 17394-4 – Textiles and Textile Products: Part 4: Safety of children’s clothing – Security of attachment of components except buttons and metal mechanically applied press fasteners – Test method

Textiles EN standards

a. EN ISO 12952-1 – Textiles. Assessment of the ignitability of bedding items. Ignition source. Smoldering cigarette

b. EN ISO 12952-2 – Textiles. Assessment of the ignitability of bedding items. Part 2: Ignition source: match-flame equivalent

c. EN 13772 – Textiles and textile products. Burning behavior. Curtains and drapes. Measurement of the flame spread of vertically oriented specimens with large ignition source

d. EN 14465 – Textiles – Upholstery fabrics – Specification and methods of test

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation

The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation sets requirements for PPE, which includes protective clothing and other protective textile products.

Product examples

Here, we provide a few examples of clothing and textile-related protective equipment listed by the PPE Regulation Guidelines:

• Protective diving suits
• Protective clothes for waterskiing
• Two-piece thermal protective garments
• Anti-tick garments
• Beekeeper veils and garments

Risk categories

The PPE Regulation classifies PPE into three distinct categories according to the severity of the risk the PPE is designed to protect from.

Category I

Category I PPE protects against minimal risks such as:

• Superficial mechanical injury
• Contact with weak cleaning materials
• Contact with hot surfaces

Here are a few examples of Category I clothing and textile-related PPE:

• Gloves that protect against natural UV radiation
• Patches that protect the skin against friction

Category II

Category II PPE covers risks that are not listed in Categories I and III. We list below a few examples of clothing and textile-related Category II PPE:

• Diving suits that provide thermal protection
• Protective clothes for waterskiing
• Beekeeper veils and garments

Category III

Category III PPE protects against many types of consequential risks that result in death or irreversible negative health damage, such as:

• Harmful biological agents
• Drowning
• Hazardous substances and mixtures

Here are a few examples of Category III PPE that are relevant for clothing and textiles:

• Harnesses that protect against falling from heights
• Life jackets

Harmonised standards

Here we list some EN standards harmonised under the PPE Regulation that are relevant for clothing and textile products:

a. EN ISO 20471 – High visibility clothing – Test methods and requirements

b. EN 1150 – Protective clothing –visibility clothing for non-professional use – test methods and requirements

c. EN 342 – Protective clothing – Ensembles and garments for protection against cold

d. EN 343 – Protective clothing – Protection against rain

e. EN 1082-1 – Protective clothing – Gloves and arm guards protecting against cuts and stabs by hand knives – Part 1: Chain mail gloves and arm guards

f. EN 13034: Protective clothing against liquid chemicals – Performance requirements for chemical protective clothing offering limited protective performance against liquid chemicals

Requirements

Here we list the main requirements of the PPE Regulation:

a. Technical documentation

b. Declaration of Conformity

c. Test reports

d. Instructions

e. CE marking

f. Traceability information (e.g., type, batch, serial number, name, registered trademark or trade name, postal address)

g. Additional markings (if needed)

Note that Category II and III PPE undergoing a conformity assessment procedure necessitate the involvement of a Notified Body.

Biocidal Products Regulation

The Biocidal Products Regulation covers clothing and textiles treated with biocides. According to Annex V of the regulation, biocides can be found in textiles treated with:

a. Disinfectants and algaecides

b. Preservatives used in fibre, leather, rubber and polymerised materials

Product examples

While the regulation does not mention examples of biocide-treated products, the Swedish Chemicals Agency lists several textile and clothing-related products that may be treated with biocides, such as:

• Cushions
• Sportswear
• Cleaning cloths
• Mattresses

Substance restrictions

ECHA permits the use of several biocides in textiles and includes them on its Union List of approved active substances. This includes biocides such as:

• 2-Biphenyl-2-ol
• Fludioxonil
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Chlorocresol

Claims

According to the regulation, an article for which a claim is made regarding its biocidal properties should include the labelling information listed in Article 58.

Requirements

The regulation requires importers and manufacturers of clothing and textiles treated with biocides – or for which a biocidal claim is made – to:

a. Comply with relevant substance restrictions

b. Provide a label that consists of:

• A statement that the treated product contains biocidal products
• The attributed biocidal property
• Names of all active substances in the biocidal product
• Names of all nanomaterials in the biocidal product
• Instructions for use and precautions to be taken

c. Provide for free, within 45 days, information regarding the product’s biocidal treatment, when requested by the consumer.