Softlines and Leather | Monthly bulletin | September 2026

Europe

New consumer guarantee notice rules for clothing and textile retailers now in effect

Clothing, textile, footwear, and accessories retailers selling directly to consumers in the European Union must prepare for new consumer information requirements that take effect on 27 September 2026, under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960.

The regulation is designed to help consumers make more informed and sustainable purchasing decisions by increasing awareness of product durability and their legal warranty rights. To achieve this, the European Commission has introduced a harmonised legal guarantee notice that retailers will be required to display at the point of sale, both online and in physical stores. 

For most apparel, footwear, and textile businesses, the new EU rules will not require changes to product labelling. The primary obligation is to provide consumers with standardised information about their legal guarantee rights before purchase. Only companies offering qualifying long-term durability guarantees will need to display the GARAN label (EU label that may be used when a company voluntarily offers a commercial durability guarantee).

For more information, please see the European Commission’s website here.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothes and shoes comes into force

Large companies operating in the European Union will no longer be allowed to destroy unsold clothing, clothing accessories, and footwear from 19 July 2026, under new requirements introduced through the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the ban from 2030, while small and micro businesses are exempt.

The measure aims to reduce textile waste by encouraging companies to resell, donate, repair, refurbish, or otherwise reuse unsold products instead of discarding them.
Destruction is permitted only in limited cases, such as for unsafe, damaged, or counterfeit products, and companies must document any use of these exemptions. National authorities will monitor compliance and may impose penalties for violations.

The ban is one of the first measures under the ESPR and supports the EU's transition towards a more circular and resource-efficient economy.

For more information, please see the European Commission’s website here.

France 

French Law No. 2026-602: Regulating the impact of ultra-fast fashion 

On 9 July 2026, France took a historic step to reduce the environmental footprint of the textile industry with the promulgation of Law No. 2026-602 on 8 July 2026, targeting "ultra-fast fashion" head-on. 

This legislation defines ultra-fast fashion as industrial and commercial practices characterised by marketing a high volume of new product references with minimal incentives for repair, which ultimately shortens the products' usable lifespans

To dismantle this model, the law institutes a strict advertising ban starting 1 January 2027, which completely prohibits advertisements for these products and brands, including the promotional use of the word "free" and bans commercial influencers from promoting ultra-fast fashion, backing this up with administrative fines of up to €100,000. Online marketplaces must now prominently display the manufacturing locations of garments right next to the price tag in an equal font size, while also displaying clear, legible messages that encourage responsible consumption, repair, and recycling. On the financial side, ultra-fast fashion producers are stripped of certain corporate donation tax reductions and face a steep, sliding scale of EPR financial penalties per product, starting between €0.25 and €12 in 2026, and escalating to between €2 and €20 by 2030, with a portion of these contributions directly funding domestic collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure.

For more information, consult the “Vie publique” website here.

Denmark

Denmark’s national PFAS ban now in force

Denmark's national ban, Executive Order BEK no. 464,  on PFAS in clothing, footwear, and certain waterproofing products for consumers officially entered into force on 1 July 2026, introducing new compliance obligations for manufacturers, importers, and retailers. The measure forms part of the Danish government's PFAS Action Plan and aims to reduce environmental emissions and consumer exposure to PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment.

Under the new rules, products containing total fluorine levels at or above 50 mg F/kg will be prohibited. They may no longer be imported or sold to private consumers in Denmark. The ban covers various consumer products, including certain rainwear, footwear, and impregnation sprays.

A transitional period allows existing inventories to continue being sold until 1 January 2027, provided the products were imported or manufactured before 1 July 2026. Businesses must also be able to demonstrate compliance, which may require obtaining documentation from suppliers and reviewing product portfolios.

Several exemptions apply, including products sold for professional use, business-to-business sales, workwear, certain personal protective equipment, medical devices, home textiles, accessories such as bags and strollers, and reused or recycled products. Companies relying on these exemptions must be able to provide supporting documentation.

Italy

Italy proposes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles, footwear, and leather goods

On 23 July 2026, the Italian Unified Conference officially expressed a favourable opinion on the draft regulation establishing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. This new framework brings clothing textiles, footwear, accessories, leather goods, and household textiles under strict circular economy rules. For companies operating in these sectors, the regulation introduces a profound shift by holding producers financially and operationally responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products. Specifically, businesses will be required to participate in a return system for products after consumer use and manage the subsequent waste, actively financing and organising efforts to strengthen reuse, prevention, recycling, and recovery.

Sweden 

Sweden publishes national PFAS action plan and proposes 2028 consumer product ban

On 23 July 2026, the Swedish government adopted a landmark national action plan to combat the widespread environmental and health threats posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), highly persistent "forever chemicals" linked to serious conditions such as cancer and impaired immune systems. Choosing to move ahead of slower, upcoming European Union restrictions, Sweden has proposed a pioneering national ban targeting non-essential PFAS in everyday consumer products, specifically clothing, shoes, impregnation agents, kitchen utensils, cosmetics, and ski wax, which is stated to take effect on 1 January 2028. 

Sweden proposes to use the same thresholds as those being discussed in the EU-Wide PFAS restriction under REACH:

• Individual non-polymeric PFAS: 25 ug/kg (ppb)
• Sum of non-polymeric PFAS: 250 ug/kg (ppb)
• Total PFAS: 50 mg/kg (ppm)

For kitchenware, the limits apply to food-contact parts.

Supported by an immediate 85 million SEK budget allocation for cleanup and pilot remediation projects in 2026, the government’s multi-pronged strategy establishes six strategic focus areas to map chemical flows, enhance human and environmental monitoring, and accelerate technical development for soil and water decontamination before a scheduled national review on 1 October 2029.

UK

Great Britain updates PPE designated standards with key transition deadlines

On the 8 August 2026, Great Britain has updated its list of designated standards for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), introducing a series of removal dates that could affect manufacturers, importers, and conformity assessment bodies. The changes were published in Notice of Publication 0140/26 on 7 August 2026, with the consolidated standards list updated on 8 August 2026.

The update affects a wide range of PPE products, including helmets, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, visibility clothing, and fall-protection equipment. Several older standards will lose their designated status beginning 14 August 2026, with further removals scheduled throughout 2026 and 2027.

Loss of designation does not automatically prohibit the sale of PPE products. However, it removes the associated presumption of conformity, meaning manufacturers must demonstrate compliance with applicable health and safety requirements through alternative technical evidence and documentation.

The changes are expected to drive the transition to newer PPE standards while maintaining compliance with the UK's Personal Protective Equipment (Enforcement) Regulations 2018.

Canada

Health Canada proposes amendments to the Children's Sleepwear Regulations

On 7 July 2026, Health Canada published a Notice of Intent signaling a proposed regulatory initiative to amend the Children's Sleepwear Regulations (CSR) under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), the first substantive review of these requirements since 1987.

This is a pre-consultation / Notice of Intent, an early procedural stage, not yet a formal proposed regulation. The feedback Health Canada receives now will inform whether Health Canada proceeds to a cost-benefit analysis and eventual pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I, which would open a further, separate consultation period before anything is finalised. The comment window ran from 7 July – 14 September 2026.

The CSR scope covers flammability and toxicity (flame-retardant treatment) requirements for children's sleepwear up to size 14X. The proposal would expand the scope to explicitly capture loungewear, sleep sacks, and wearable swaddles, categories that have grown substantially in the market since the Regulations were last amended.

For more information, consult the Health Canada guidelines here.

China

Update to the fibre content identification standard GB/T 29862-2026

On 2 July 2026, along with the Chinese SAC public the #30of 2026 national standard announcement, a revised national standard GB/T 29862-2026 Textiles—Technical specification for identification of fibre content was officially released and will come into force from 1 August 2027.

This standard specifies the requirements for the labelling, marking, and tolerance limits of fibre content in textile products, as well as the test methods and criteria for determining conformity.

The standard applies to the labelling of fibre content in textile products sold within the territory of China.

Summarisation of the standard revisions:

1. The phrase “Ensure that the information on the label is not obscured or hidden” has been changed to “The information on the label must be clearly legible”;
2. The method for indicating the fibre content of products with lining has been revised;
3. The description of combined labelling for the fibre content of blended fabrics has been revised;
4. The names and labelling descriptions of fibres used for reinforcement have been revised;
5. The phrase “Determination of compliance with fibre content labelling” has been revised to distinguish between two categories: “Non-compliance with fibre content labelling” and “Non-compliance with fibre content deviation.”
6. Added the “label” term, and the definitions of “textile product” and “durable label” have been revised;
7. Added a requirement that labelling cannot consist solely of numerical values;
8. Added labelling requirements for the names of recycled fibres, as well as the specific names of different types of down and feathers;
9. Added labelling methods and examples for products containing coated fibres, bicomponent composite fibres, and recycled fibres;
10. Deleted labelling requirements for sets of products with different fibre content, as well as for sets of products with the same fibre content but sold separately;

Fibre content labelling requirements

1. Each product shall be accompanied by a fibre content label indicating the names and percentages of the various fibre components contained in the product.
2. Each finished product shall be affixed with a durable fibre content label.
3. For products where the use of a durable label would affect the product’s use or where it is inappropriate to affix a durable label, a durable label may be omitted; however, a fibre content label in another form, such as a hang tag, shall be used. Examples include fabrics, yarns, gloves, socks, scarves, face masks, face towels, arm warmers, wristbands, and infant and toddler clothing worn next to the skin.
4. For products sold in units such as whole boxes or bags where the use of a durable label is impractical, a fibre content label may be provided for the entire sales unit if the fibre names and percentages are identical for each individual item.
5. When packaged products are sold, if the fibre content information on the textile product is not clearly visible, the fibre content shall also be indicated on the packaging or in the product instructions. For products sold online, fibre content information shall be provided on the webpage.
6. For sets of products with identical fibre content that are delivered as a set to the end consumer, the fibre content information may be indicated only on the label of one item within the set.
7. For products not intended for delivery to the end consumer, the fibre content label may be replaced by a commercial document.
8. Durable fibre content labels shall not be irritating to the human body; they shall be affixed to a suitable location on the product, and the information on the label shall be clearly legible.
9. The text on the fibre content label shall be clear and conspicuous; standard Chinese characters as prescribed by national regulations shall be used. Text in other languages may also be used, but the Chinese text shall prevail.
10. Fibre content may be indicated on the same label as other usage instructions. When a textile product bears fibre content labels in different formats, the information provided must be consistent.
11. Digital labels, such as QR codes, barcodes, or RFID tags, may not be used exclusively.

Appendix A: Lists examples of textile products that are exempt from the fibre content:

• Fillings and upholstery fabric for upholstered furniture such as chairs, sofas, and mattresses;
• Decorative paintings and hanging tapestries;
• Small decorative items such as accessories and handicrafts;
• Fabrics on umbrellas and parasols;
• Cloth wallets, wrapping cloths (bags), and packaging cords and ribbons;
• Trouser suspenders, armbands, and garters;
• Fabrics on crib rails and strollers;
• Pet supplies;
• Cleaning cloths;
• Wall coverings, screens, etc.;
• Table runners, bedspreads;
• Flags;
• Artificial flowers;
• Cloth-bound books;
• Fabric cases (pouches) for cell phones, cameras, eyeglass cases, and water cups, etc.

Standard update for textiles 

In September 2026, the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation (National Administration for Standardisation) published several announcements which approved national standards related to textiles.

• Chinese National Standard Announcement #34 of 2026
• Chinese National Standard Announcement #33 of 2026
• Chinese National Standard Announcement #30 of 2026

The main standard related to textiles is:

1. China Product (Executive) Standard List

2. China Method List

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 seven alerts regarding clothing, textile and fashion items were reported between week 29 and week 32 of 2026.

U.S.

From the 6 August 2026 to the 27 August 2026, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) published the following recall:  1 recall of textile & leather products