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Media Centre >> Knowledge e-news >> Eurofins S&L Monthly Bulletin (December 2023)

Eurofins Softlines & Leather Monthly Bulletin (December 2023)

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Eurofins newsflash Softlines and Leather

 

Europe

 

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.

 

CEN

Reference

Title

Date of withdrawal (*)

Supersedes

EN ISO 14184-3:2023

Textiles - Determination of formaldehyde - Part 3: Free and hydrolysed formaldehyde (extraction method) by liquid chromatography (ISO 141843:2023)

30 June 2024

 

EN ISO 20137:2023

Leather - Chemical tests - Guidelines for testing critical chemicals in leather (ISO 20137:2023)

31 May 2024

EN ISO 20137:2017

EN ISO 3758:2023

Textiles - Care labelling code using symbols (ISO 3758:2023)

30 June 2024

EN ISO 3758:2012

 

 

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:

 

Date

Publication

25 November 2023

Order of 23 November 2022, laying down specifications for eco-organisations and individual systems in the extended responsibility sector of the producer of textiles, shoes and household linen (TLC).

 

 

International

 

Standard updates

 

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

 

ISO

Reference

Title

Publication date

Supersedes

ISO 4484-2:2023

Microplastics from textile sources. Part 2: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics

September 2023

 

 

 

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.

 

Type of Risk

Number of alerts

Notes














Chemicals














6

Children’s flip-flops

The plastic material of the product has an excessive concentration of dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation.

Slippers

The product has an excessive amount of bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).

The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation.

Heated gloves

The solders in the product have an excessive concentration of lead. The product has an excessive concentration of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs).

The product does not comply with the requirements of the Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS 2 Directive) or the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Regulation.

Hairpin

The metallic parts of the product have an excessive concentration of nickel.

The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation.

 

 

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.

 

Type of Risk

Number of alerts

Notes




Choking




1

Baby snowsuit

The silver poppers on the non-functional pocket can become loose and detached, producing a small part.

The product does not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.


Tripping


1

Children’s slippers

They have been identified as having a quality issue with the touch and close fastening becoming unstuck.