Softlines & Leather regulatory updates December 2023

Europa

Textile care symbols standard has been updated

In December 2023, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published the new version of the standard ISO 3758. This established a system of graphic symbols intended for use in the marking of textile articles to provide information on the most severe treatments that do not cause irreversible damage to the article during the textile care process, and specified the use of these symbols in care labelling.

The main changes are as follows: 

• Some exemptions have been introduced into the Scope (see Clause 1);
• A new symbol has been introduced:
• for wash by hand at ambient temperature in Table 1;
• for ironing without steam in Table 5;
• New solvents have been introduced in Table 6;
• Graphical changes have been introduced in symbols indicating to wash by hand, do not wash (in Table 1), do not bleach (in Table 2) and do not iron (in Table 5), in order to align them to the GINETEX symbols;
• Three alternative examples of use of symbols have been introduced in 5.3;
• A new Annex D, “Adaptation of registered graphical symbols for use in practice”, has been added.

Provisional agreement for ecodesign requirements and sustainable products

On 5 December 2023, the European Council and the Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on the proposed regulation establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products.

Priority will be given to highly impactful products, including textiles (especially garments and footwear), furniture (including mattresses), iron and steel, aluminium, tyres, paints, lubricants and chemicals, as well as energy-related products, ICT products and other electronics.

The new ecodesign requirements relate to: 

• Product durability, reusability, upgradability, and repairability
• Presence of chemical substances that inhibit reuse and recycling of materials
• Energy and resource efficiency
• Recycled content
• Carbon and environmental footprints
• Available product information, in particular a Digital Product Passport.

On the other hand, the co-legislators introduced a direct ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear products.

The new regulation will replace the current Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, which established energy efficiency requirements covering 31 product groups.

For more information, read the European Commission publication here.

Standard updates

The below table summarises the most recent standard updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: The latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

France

Relevant publications related to ERP and AGEC Law

The latest publications in relation to Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP) and AGEC Law by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition are summarised in the table below:

International

Standard updates

The below table summarises the most recent standard updates (non-exhaustive):

PRODUCT RECALLS / ALERTS

Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “Safety Gate (RAPEX)”) and the U.S. (Source “CPSC”).

Europe

Safety Gate (RAPEX) (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities)

The following 6 alerts regarding clothing, textile and fashion items were reported between week 47 and 50 of 2023.

UK

OPSS issues Product Safety Alerts on the UK market.

The following 2 alerts regarding clothing, textiles and fashion items were reported between week 47 and 50 of 2023.