Updates to EU Standards for Safety of Children's Clothing: CEN/TS 17394-1:2021, CEN/TS 17394-3:2021 and CEN/TS 17394-4:2021
Published in January 2021, CEN/TS 17394-1: 2021 on test methods and specification by CEN (European Committee for Standardization) will replace the test methods and requirements of the CEN/TR 16792. The main points of the four new documents are detailed below.
CEN/TS 17394-1: 2021 – Textiles and textile products – Part 1: Safety of children's clothing – Security of attachment of attached components to infants' clothing – Specification.
- This document specifies the requirements regarding the security of small parts attachment to clothing such as buttons, press fasteners, rivets, sequins, diamantes (or pieces of these components) which fit entirely within the small parts cylinder without compression.
- These requirements are applicable for infant clothing (up to 36 months and height of 98cm).
- Requirements of buttons: When tested according to EN 17394-2:2020, the removal force should be no less than 70 N when the button is ≥ 6 mm, and no less than 50 N when ≥3 mm and less than 6 mm. No detached component or part of component should be a small part.
- Requirements of mechanically applied press fasteners: When tested according to CEN/TS 17394-3: 2021, the removal force should be no less than 70 N when the button is ≥ 6 mm, and no less than 50 N when ≥3 mm and less than 6 mm. No detached component or part of component should be a small part.
- Requirements of all other attached components including non-metal press fastenings, eyelets, and stitched-on textiles: When tested according to CEN/TS 17394-4:2021, the components should not be detached. No detached component or part of component should be a small part.
EN 17394-2: 2020 – Textiles and textile products – Part 2: Safety of children's clothing — Security of attachment of buttons – Test Method
- Defines the test method for the attachment of functional and decorative buttons on clothing, including garments such as gloves, hats, scarves, hosiery, ties and textile belts.
- Defines specific equipment for the purpose of gripping buttons.
- Includes sewn-on buttons, toggle buttons and tack buttons.
CEN/TS 17394-3: 2021 – Textiles and textile products – Part 3: Safety of children's clothing – Secure attachment of metal, mechanically applied press fasteners — Test method
- Defines a test method for the secure attachment of functional and decorative metal, mechanically applied press fasteners to children’s clothing, including gloves, hats, scarves, hosiery, ties and textile belts.
- Not intended for eyelets or rivets as the gripping action may damage the integrity of the component. They must be tested to CEN/TS 17394-4 instead.
CEN/TS 17394-4: 2020 - Textiles and textile products – Part 4: Safety of children's clothing – Secure attachment of components other than buttons and metal, mechanically applied press fasteners – Test method
- The test method described in this document complements EN 17394-2:2020 and CEN/TS 17394-3:2021 and is applicable to all other components including labels, badges, sequins, rhinestones, rivets, eyelets and non-metal press fasteners which are too small to be gripped using the specified equipment or whose integrity is affected by gripping.
- The test method involves a washing and drying process, and provides an example of washing to assess the durability of the attachment of components.
- The washing temperature used for the testing should be (10 ±2) °C above the maximum recommended washing temperature for the garment. For hand wash only garments, a washing temperature of (40 ±2) °C should be used.
These four documents will be used as reference to assess compliance of children’s garments against the requirements set by the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD). However, it still remains unknown whether they will be harmonised under GPSD after their publication as of the time of writing