Eurofins Softlines & Leather Monthly Bulletin (May 2024)

FRANCE

Ecobalyse: Environmental impact calculator for textiles

The Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion has unveiled its Ecobalyse project.

Ecobalyse is an assessment tool that enables you to quickly estimate the environmental impact of a product based on a few simple criteria: weight, composition, place of assembly, etc.

The aim is to use this information to display environmental metrics that will allow consumers to transparently assess the environmental impact of each product they choose, subsequently encouraging more informed choices.

This system is also aimed at producers and distributors to encourage and promote their eco-design efforts.

Its deployment online and in stores for textile products is planned for this autumn.

DENMARK

Danish ban on PFAS in clothing and shoes

One of the biggest sources of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment in Denmark is clothing, shoes and waterproofing agents. Therefore, the government wants to introduce a national ban on PFAS in these consumer goods.

The national ban on PFAS in clothing, shoes and waterproofing agents will apply until the expected EU ban comes into effect.

The key takeaways of this ban are:

• PFAS in professional clothing and safety clothing will not be subject to the ban.
• The ban targets the sale and import of clothing, shoes and waterproofing agents to consumers.
• The ban will be implemented in practice by setting limit values that ensure that PFAS cannot be deliberately used in clothing, shoes and impregnation.
• It will still be possible to use clothes, shoes and impregnation spray that you have bought before the ban comes into force.
• The proposal will not include reuse and recycling.

The executive order on the ban is expected to be ready on 1 July 2025. The government proposes to give businesses a transition period of one year, meaning the ban would apply from 1 July 2026.

For more information, please visit the Danish Ministry of the Environment website here.

SAUDI ARABIA

New requirements and procedures for textiles

On 10 July 2024, the latest Technical Regulations for Textile Products will come into effect for Saudi Arabia, 180 days after the date of publication in the Official Gazette in January 2024.

The textile products must comply with the conformity assessment procedures to ensure the products meet the standards required for entry into the market of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The main changes are:

• Update of the list of covered products and their corresponding customs coding included in Appendix 1-B.
• Added a category for underwear to the scope.
• Exemptions:
• Products designed for medical purposes or medical claims.
• Footwear subject to the technical regulation of shoes and accessories.
• Updated language labelling requirement: only in Arabic, with the option of an additional language alongside.
• Removed:
• Appendix 2: Tables of Limit Values for Permissible Chemicals in Textile Products
• Appendix 8: Azo-Dyes - List of Aromatic Amines
• Appendix 9: Carcinogenic Dyes
• Revisions to the standards and test methods used to determine the content of potentially harmful chemicals in textile products (Annex 1)
• Modifications made to the conformity assessment procedures
• Updated list of standards

For more information, please refer to the official publication here.

US

Colorado amends PFAS law

On 1 May 2024, the State of Colorado approved SB 24-081 to amend HB 22-1345 which regulates perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a variety of consumer products. The new amendment includes the following changes to HB 22-1345:

• Adds new terms and definitions of products
• Prohibits intentionally added PFAS in cookware on 1 January 2026 and repeals the disclosure requirement for cookware on 1 January 2026
• Prohibits outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions on 1 January 2028 and repeals the labelling requirement for outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions on 1 January 2028.

Please see Table 1 below for an updated summary of Colorado’s PFAS regulation.

Table 1:

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 10 alerts regarding clothing, textile and fashion items were reported between week 16 and week 19 of 2024.

UK

OPSS issues Product Safety Alerts on the UK market.

The following 2 alert regarding textiles were reported between week 16 and week 19 of 2024.

U.S.

From 25 April to 30 May 2024, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) published the following recalls: 4 recalls of textile & leather products