Euratex Endorses EU Revised Textile Labelling Legislation
In the run up to the elections for the European Parliament in June, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (Euratex) has issued a statement saying it supports the EU Commission’s goal of revising the Textiles Labelling Regulation, and proposed a number of revisions of its own. They are all pro-consumer and pro-sustainability, and designed to put forward a coherent position across a vast industry.
In total, there will be 16 new regulations for the EU textiles sector. The changes move the needle on fiber content and care instructions, technical developments like the digital product passport, fur and leather, outside competition from suppliers of cheap goods, the presence of labels at all, and the very definition of a textile product. The statement allowed that the regulation currently on the books was good but had become outdated given the changes in the industry and the development of so many new types of textiles.
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Euratex’s new position rests on four main pillars: fiber composition, care instructions, fur and leather authenticity and digitization.
In fiber composition, the statement affirmed the need for transparency to allow consumers to make informed choices about what they purchase and how it meets their needs. Accurate labeling ensures that manufacturers comply with industry standards and prevents misrepresentation as well as foster fair competition among suppliers. Euratex also proposed revisions of the fibers names list to make it easier for the many SMEs that are behind the new fibers, and suggested that the names reflect what the fiber is actually made from. Recycled content should appear on the label to enable European consumers to choose textiles with a lower carbon footprint if they wish, according to Euratex.
The statement noted that the definition of recycled fiber needs to be better developed. Euratex advocated using the definition of the Ecodesign Regulation to ensure alignment across all legislation that governs textile products. Euratex also said it finds it superfluous to regulate the use of the recycled claim within the framework of Textile Labelling Regulation given that the Commission presented a legal proposal for a Directive on Green Claims in March of last year.
Care instructions should be the main pillar of the new regulation and should appear on a mandatory physical label, according to the Euratex statement. Proper maintenance of a product ensures longevity and preserves quality, it continued, and having it physically on a label eliminates the digital divide for those people with no access to the requisite electronic devices. These can fail while a properly executed physical label will be reliable and long-lasting and as such, they prioritize the consumer’s right to information, according to Euratex.
Making care instructions mandatory will create a more harmonized regulatory framework across the EU, and reduce compliance costs. Currently, only 10 EU member states require care labeling by federal or consumer protection acts, and the remaining ones offer optional labeling. Euratex wants physical display of care instructions on a sewn label mandatory across the EU.
Likewise, Euratex said it supports labels that state the presence of authentic leather and fur in a product to help combat low-cost producers and counterfeit products using synthetic materials instead of natural leather and fur. Conversely, it said how producers can also use natural materials but label them as artificial. Transparency is key to maintaining fair competition and protecting the reputation for quality and value in the world market, Euratex said in the statement. It added that it will also boost compliance with environmental and animal welfare standards and get recognition for it. Correct information on the authenticity of leather and fur helps the consumer make informed purchasing decisions and ensures the durability of the item in question, the statement said.
Separate definitions for natural fur and leather could be added to the regulation and given the distinct definitions and nature of these materials, specific rules should be developed or updated for textile both fibers and leather and fur, Euratex recommended. Rules on “multi-component textile products” should also be effected, it further stated.
Per Euratex, digitization is important, but it should complement rather than replace physical labels. Its main purpose is to distill and shorten the amount of information which is currently on physical labels, which must be the main tool for communicating fiber content and care instructions. According to the statement, the presence of physical labels also makes them compliant with textiles product regulations in countries like the UK, Brazil, South Korea and Japan and while digital labels reduce waste and enhance traceability they can easily deny access to critical information for people with no cell phones. They can however convey additional information like environmental or social impact, which is what the Digital Product Passport is meant to do. It will achieve more transparency and traceability in compliance with ESPR requirements. It will be key to avoid creating conflicting labelling systems, Euratex warned. Revised textile labelling regulation should create placeholders to incorporate the requirements of the ESPR and DPP instead of duplicating the requirements which may render the regulations incoherent, it said.
