Eurofins | July 2019 regulatory Newsflash compilation | Softlines & Leather
“Small parts” testing on children’s garments
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is developing a set of 4 new documents to evaluate the safety of children’s garments regarding the mechanical properties.
Safety of Children’s clothing -“CORDS AND DRAWSTRINGS”- under review
The standard EN 14682 (“Safety of children's clothing - Cords and drawstrings on children's clothing – Specifications”) is currently under review.
Below a summary table with some recent standards updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):
(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.
|
Reference |
Title |
Date of Withdrawal (*) |
Supersedes |
|
Textiles - Determination of metal content - Part 3: Determination of lead release by artificial saliva solution. |
2019-11-30 |
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|
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Textiles - Quantitative chemical analysis - Part 10: Mixtures of triacetate or polylactide with certain other fibres (method using dichloromethane) (ISO 1833-10:2019). |
2019-11-30 |
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Textiles - Quantitative chemical analysis - Part 18: Mixtures of silk with other protein fibres (method using sulfuric acid) (ISO 1833-18:2019). |
2019-11-30 |
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Textiles - Quantitative chemical analysis - Part 21: Mixtures of chlorofibres, certain modacrylics, certain elastanes, acetates, triacetates and certain other fibres (method using cyclohexanone) (ISO 1833-21:2019). |
2019-11-30 |
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Textiles - Quantitative chemical analysis - Part 3: Mixtures of acetate with certain other fibres (method using acetone) (ISO 1833-3:2019). |
2019-11-30 |
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Foot and leg protectors - Requirements and test methods for footwear components - Part 4: Non-metallic perforation resistant inserts (ISO 22568-4:2019). |
2019-11-30 |
Standards Updates
Below a summary table with some recent ASTM standards updates:
|
Reference |
Title |
|
Standard Terminology Relating to Textiles. |
|
|
Standard Tables of Body Measurements for Boys, Sizes 4 to 20 Slim and 2 to 20 Regular. |
Third amendment to Bill proposal on Hazardous substances in jewelry
On 20th June 2019, California proposed the third amendment of the SB 647 bill “Hazardous substances: metal-containing jewelry”, a Bill that was introduced in February 2019.
The main points about this bill proposal are:
|
Children's jewelry (15 years and younger). |
Lead (surface coatings) |
≤ 90 ppm |
|
Lead (accessible components) |
≤100 ppm |
|
|
Soluble cadmium (surface coatings) |
≤ 75 ppm |
|
|
Cadmium (components) |
≤ 300 ppm |
|
|
For body piercing jewelry (that is not children’s jewelry). |
List of materials to be used in this type of jewelry:
|
|
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For jewelry that is not children’s jewelry. |
The jewelry has to be made entirely from one or more than one of the following materials:
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Minnesota Strengthens Flame-retardant Chemicals Law in Certain Products
On May 22, 2019, Minnesota’s governor signed flame retardant bill HF 359 into law which amends Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 325F.071 by expanding the scope of products and flame retardants.
From July 1, 2021, manufacturers or wholesalers are not allowed to manufacture, sell, offer for sale, distribute for sale, or distribute for use in this State a children's product, upholstered residential furniture, residential textile, or mattress that contain any organohalogenated flame retardant exceeding 1,000 parts per million in any product component. The effective date for retailer to observe this ban is July 1, 2022.
The following are exempt from this prohibition:
- The sale or offer for sale of any previously owned product containing a chemical restricted under this section.
- An electronic component of a children’s product, mattress, upholstered residential furniture, or residential textile or associated casing.
- A children’s product, mattress, upholstered residential furniture, or residential textile where a federal flammability standard exists.
- Thread or fiber used for stitching mattress components together.
- Components of an adult mattress other than foam.
This new law also restricts the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams.
For more information click here.
Standards updates list 2019
Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China published the announcement No.7 of 2019 and announcement No. 16 of 2019 ([First document] & [Second document] in Chinese) on the approval of national standards and national standard amendments.
Below a summary table with some of the relevant textile standards (non-exhaustive list):
|
Product Standard |
|||
|
Reference |
Title |
Replace to |
Implementation date |
|
FZ/T 72002-2019 |
Silver knitting fake fur. |
FZ/T 72002-2006 |
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 72007-2019 |
Warp knitted fake fur. |
FZ/T 72007-2006 |
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 72024-2019 |
Bedding with knitted fabric. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 72025-2019 |
Knitted fabric for trousers. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 73029-2019 |
Knitted trousers. |
FZ/T 73029-2009 |
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 73037-2019 |
Knitted sport socks. |
FZ/T 73037-2010 |
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 73061-2019 |
Knitted jacket. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 73062-2019 |
Knitted beachwear. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 73063-2019 |
Knitted maternity wear. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 74007-2019 |
Outdoor sunscreen skinsuit. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 81023-2019 |
Water-proof and moisture permeable wear. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 07003-2019 |
Technical specification for green-design product assessment–Silk products. |
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|
|
GB/T 22703-2019 |
Qipao. |
GB/T 22703-2008 |
2020-01-01 |
|
GB/T 22853-2019 |
Knitted sportswear. |
GB/T 22853-2009 |
2020-01-01 |
|
Test Method Standard |
|||
|
Reference |
Title |
Replace to |
Implementation date |
|
FZ/T 01148-2019 |
Textiles–Determination of adipic acid dihydrazide–LC-MS/MS. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 20033-2019 |
Determination of heterochromatic fibers and vegetable matter in wool and cashmere. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
FZ/T 50045-2019 |
Elastane filament yarns– Test method for cross-sectional area. |
|
2019-11-01 |
|
GB/T 18886-2019 |
Textiles－Tests for colourfastness－Colourfastness to saliva. |
GB/T 18886-2002 |
2020-01-01 |
|
GB/T 21655.2-2019 |
Textiles—Evaluation of absorption and quick-drying—Part 2: Method for moisture management tests. |
GB/T 21655.2-2009 |
2020-01-01 |
|
GB/T 22701-2019 |
Rules of testing and inspection for professional clothing. |
GB/T 22701-2008 |
2020-01-01 |
|
GB/T 23317-2019 |
Specification for clothing made of coated fabrics for protection against wet weather. |
GB/T 23317-2009 |
2020-01-01 |
Regulatory updates
Below a summary table with some recent regulation proposals notified to World Trade Organization:
|
Notification number |
Countries |
Title |
|
Ecuador |
Draft second revision (2R) of Ecuadorian Standardization Institute Technical Regulation (PRTE INEN) No. 080 "Labelling of footwear". |
|
|
Ecuador |
Draft second revision (2R) of Ecuadorian Standardization Institute Technical Regulation (PRTE INEN) No. 127 "Carpets and other textile floor coverings". |
|
|
Ecuador |
Draft second revision (2R) of Ecuadorian Technical Regulation PRTE INEN No. 157 "Labelling of articles of leather". |
|
|
Ecuador |
Draft first revision (1R) of Ecuadorian Technical Regulation PRTE INEN No. 213 "Mattresses"). |
|
|
China |
National Standard of the P.R.C., Sheep Wool (Revision No. 1). |
Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “RAPEX”) and in the US (Source “CPSC”).
Europe
RAPEX (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities).
The following 3 alerts regarding textile & leather products have been reported, from week 21 until week 24 of 2019.
|
Type of Risk |
Number of alerts |
Notes |
|
Chemical |
1 |
Leather gloves- Chromium (VI) in the leather insoles. |
|
Strangulation |
2 |
Children’s clothing – Risk of strangulation due to cords and drawstrings not complying with applicable standard. |
From 21st May to 20th June 2019, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 4 recalls regarding textile & leather products.
|
Type of Risk |
Number of alerts |
Notes |
|
Burn Injuries |
2 |
Children’s sleep sacks and children ‘s robe and pajama pants fail to meet the flammability standard. |
|
Choking hazard |
1 |
Rain boots: The unicorn horn on the boot can detach. |
|
Fire hazard |
1 |
Mattress fails to meet the mandatory federal flammability standard. |
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