Softlines and Leather | Monthly bulletin | June 2026

Europe

EU plans harmonised EPR registration system for textile and footwear producers

On 1 June 2026, the European Commission launched a new initiative aimed at creating a uniform EU-wide format for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) registers covering producers of textiles, textile-related products and footwear. The measure is currently under preparation, with adoption of an implementing regulation planned for the second quarter of 2027.

For more information, please consult the European Commission website here.

Spain

Draft Royal Decree on textile and footwear waste management and extended producer responsibility

On 27 May 2026, the Spanish authorities notified a Draft Royal Decree regulating textile and footwear products and the management of their waste under the EU TRIS (Technical Regulation Information System) procedure. The draft introduces a comprehensive framework for textile and footwear waste management and establishes a dedicated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for these products. The main Points are:

• Introduction of an EPR Scheme for textiles and footwear
• Producer registration obligations
• Financing of waste management costs
• Separate collection of textiles
• Prevention, reuse and recycling targets
• End-of-waste criteria (rules determining when recovered textile materials cease to be waste).
• Reporting and transparency requirements
• Consumer information requirements
• Support for circular economy objectives
• Implementation of EU and national legislation

The proposal seeks to minimise textile waste generation while fostering circular economy practices across the textile and footwear sectors. Its requirements will apply to all producers marketing these products in Spain, regardless of whether they are established domestically, elsewhere in the EU, or in third countries. Spain notified the draft measure to the European Commission under TRIS notification 2026/0266/ES with the standstill period ending on 28 August 2026.

Switzerland 

Updates import controls on fur products linked to animal cruelty

On 8 June 2026, Switzerland notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of a further amendment to its regulatory framework governing the import, transit and export of animal products, including fur products (G/TBT/N/CHE/286/Add.2).

The measure specifically targets furs and fur products produced using methods considered cruel to animals, covering products classified under HS Chapter 43. 

The notification forms part of Switzerland's ongoing efforts to strengthen animal welfare requirements associated with the international trade of fur products. The regulatory framework seeks to ensure that fur products entering the Swiss market comply with standards intended to address concerns regarding animal treatment during production.

This amendment proposes extending the transitional periods. The deadline for imports would be postponed until June 2029, while the sale of such products would remain permitted until June 2030. The extension is intended to provide additional time for the implementation of compliant production methods and the establishment of the necessary certification systems.

US

Rhode Island strengthens enforcement and adds exemption authority under its consumer PFAS Ban Act

Rhode Island's Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024 (R.I. Gen. Laws Ch. 23-18.18) restricts intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across ten categories of consumer products, including apparel, carpets and rugs, cookware, cosmetics, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstrual products, ski wax, and textile articles, with firefighting personal protective equipment added to the covered-product list in a 2025 amendment. The core prohibition takes effect January 1, 2027, when covered products containing intentionally added PFAS may no longer be manufactured, sold, offered for sale, or distributed in the state; a narrower set of restrictions on artificial turf and severe-wet-condition outdoor apparel follows on January 1, 2029. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) administers the law and may compel manufacturers to certify PFAS-free status or notify downstream sellers when it has reason to believe a covered product is out of compliance.

On June 19, 2026, Governor Dan McKee signed H 7734 (companion S 2799) into law, amending §§ 23-18.18-3, -4, -5, and -7 and adding a new § 23-18.18-8. The amendment took effect immediately upon passage. Substantively, it:

• Requires DEM to send compliance notices under § 23-18.18-4(c) and (d) — directing manufacturers to certify PFAS-free status or notify sellers of a noncompliant product — by certified mail.
• Adds a new exemption mechanism at § 23-18.18-4(h), under which the DEM director may exempt a product or product category, with conditions, if the product is beneficial to the environment or protective of public health or safety, no technically feasible non-PFAS alternative exists, and no comparable non-PFAS-added product is available at reasonable cost. Before granting an exemption, the director must consult neighboring states and regional organizations to promote consistency. Exemptions are renewable, with each renewal period capped at five years, contingent on continued eligibility and compliance with the original approval's conditions.
• Establishes a new § 23-18.18-8 authorizing DEM to participate in a multijurisdictional clearinghouse to share information, maintain a database of products containing intentionally added PFAS, and track exemptions or waivers granted across participating states.
• Makes conforming clarifications to the definitions section (§ 23-18.18-3) and to the firefighting-foam and enforcement provisions (§§ 23-18.18-5, -7), without altering the substantive firefighting-foam restrictions or existing civil penalty amounts.

China

Call for comments on proposed basic safety requirements for reprocessed fibre

On June 30th, 2026, the Chinese SAC published the draft for comments on the mandatory standard GB 32479-20XX General safety technical requirements for mechanically recycled fibre through the National public service platform for standards information.

The most significant change in this revision of the standard is that it has been converted from a voluntary national standard GB/T 32479-2016 to a mandatory national standard GB 32479, with the entire text now mandatory. The main technical changes are as follows:

Key revisions

1. Revision key points:

1. The scope has been revised;
2. The definition of reprocessed fibres has been revised;
3. Sampling procedures have been revised;
4. The criteria for determination have been revised;
5. The free residual chlorine limit for type I and type II reprocessed fibre has been revised;
6. The names of the test items for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, arthropods, and cockroach eggs in type I and type II reprocessed fibre have been changed;

2. Requirements/definitions added into the new edition:

1. A classification of mechanically recycled fibre has been added;
2. Definitions for mechanically recycled fibres for daily use in direct contact with skin, mechanically recycled fibres for daily use without direct skin contact, and mechanically recycled fibres for non-daily use have been added
3. Added microbiological requirements for type I mechanically recycled fibre, including total bacterial count, total fungal count, and coliform bacteria, along with their test methods;
4. Added microbiological requirements for type II mechanically recycled fibre, including total fungal count;
5. Revised pH requirement for type I mechanically recycled fibre;
6. Added requirements and testing methods for formaldehyde content in type I, II, and III mechanically recycled fibre;
7. Added requirements and testing methods for prohibited decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amine dyes in type I and II mechanically recycled fibre;
8. Added requirements and testing methods for assessing the total content of alkylphenols (AP) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) in animal fibres and synthetic fibres within type I mechanically recycled fibre;
9. Added a requirement that other safety requirements for mechanically recycled fibre shall be implemented in accordance with relevant mandatory national standards and regulations;
10. Added requirements regarding prohibited raw materials for mechanically recycled fibre;
11. Revised labelling requirements.

3. Requirements/definition deleted from the new edition:

1. The requirement for free residual chlorine in catch-all type III mechanically recycled fibre has been deleted;
2. The requirement for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in catch-all type III mechanically recycled fibre has been deleted;
3. The “pathogenic bacteria” for type II and type II mechanically recycled fiber has been deleted.

Rerocessed fibre has been divided into the 3 types based on their end use:

1. For daily use with direct skin contact, shall meet type I requirements;
2. For daily use without direct skin contact, shall meet type I or type II requirements;
3. For non-daily use, shall meet type I or type II or type III requirements.

4. The Mechanically recycled fibre basic safety requirements

5. Other requirements

The mechanically recycled fibres should comply with the requirements of relevant mandatory national standards and regulations. 

The following materials should not be used as raw materials for recycled fibers:

1. Medical fibre waste;
2. Used funeral fibre products;
3. Fibre products from epidemic areas that cannot be confirmed as uncontaminated;
4. Waste fibre products banned from import by the state, as well as other fibres and fibre products contaminated by toxic or harmful substances;
5. Other substances prohibited by the state from being used for recycled fibres.

6. Labelling requirements of mechanically recycled fibre

1. The product name, producer's name and address, product category, specification, and proof of product quality inspection should be visible in at least one location in the appropriate position of the smallest sales package.
2. The product name as mechanically recycled fibre and its classification (Type I mechanically recycled fibre, Type II mechanically recycled fibre, Type III mechanically recycled fibre) should be marked in a prominent position on the packaging of the smallest sales unit.
3. Type I mechanically recycled fibre should indicate “Mechanically recycled fibre for daily use with direct skin contact”, Type II mechanically recycled fibre should indicate “Mechanically recycled fibre for daily use without direct skin contact”.
4. Type III mechanically recycled fibre should have a warning in a prominent position: This product is mechanically recycled fibre for non-daily use.

Standard update for textiles 

In May and June 2026, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved 684 industry standards, and the State Administration for Market Regulation (National Administration for Standardisation) approved 375 recommended national standards.

• Chinese National Standard Announcement #23 of 2026
• Chinese Industrial Standard Announcement #12 of 2026

The main standard related to textiles is:

China Product (Executive) Standard List

China Test Method List

Vietnam

WTO notified of multiple mandatory regulation updates

On the 1st of June, 2026, the Vietnam Chemicals Agency submitted a notification (G/TBT/N/VNM/411) to World Trade Organisation (WTO) on multiple updates to the mandatory national regulation “Amendments to National Technical Regulations on limits of lead content in paints, mercury content in fluorescent lamps, formaldehyde and aromatic amines derived from azo dyes in textile products”. The final date for comments is 27 June 2026.

The draft amendments include:

1. Amendments and updates to requirements for labelling and transportation based on the new decree.
2. Updating conformity declaration and assessment procedures based on the amended Law on Product and Goods Quality (78/2025/QH15)

These draft amendments apply to:

1. Organisations and individuals manufacturing, importing, trading in, and using products covered by the three technical regulations;
2. Conformity assessment organisations conducting conformity assessment activities for these products; 
3. State management agencies and other relevant organisations and individuals.

The table below contains a summary of amendments:

Product recalls/alerts

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

Europe

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

The following six alerts regarding clothing, textile and fashion items were reported between week 21 and week 24 of 2026.

United Kingdom

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issues Product Safety Alerts to the UK market. The following two alerts regarding clothing, textile and fashion items were issued between week 21 and week 24 of 2026.

U.S.

From the 11th June of 2026 to the 2nd July of 2026, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) published the following recalls: 5 recalls of textile & leather products