© 2011 itsa Ltd on behalf of the Trading Standards Institute.
The Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012 require all textile products to carry a label indicating the fibre content, either on the item or the packaging. If a product consists of two or more components with different fibre contents, the content of each must be shown. Only certain names can be used for textile fibres and these are listed in the Regulations along with a list of products that are not required to bear fibre content.
There is a now a general obligation to state the full fibre composition of textile products.
In the guide
What is a textile product?
How should the product be labelled?
Names that may be used for textile fibres
Advertisements
Products that do not have to bear a fibre content
What is a textile product?
A textile product can be defined in any of the following ways:
- raw, semi-worked or made up products composed of textile fibres
- products containing at least 80% by weight of textile products (including furniture, umbrella and sunshine coverings)
- textile parts of carpets, mattresses, camping goods and the warm linings of footwear, gloves, mittens (provided such parts and linings contain not less than 80% of textile fibres)
- textiles incorporated in, and forming an integral part of other products where textile parts are specified
How should the product be labelled?
All items must carry a label indicating the fibre content either on the item or the packaging. This label does not have to be permanently attached to the garment and may be removable. If the product is supplied to a wholesaler, the indication may be contained within business documents - for example, the invoice. A textile product consisting of two or more fibres accounting for 85% of the finished product should be marked with the fibre followed by a percentage - for example, cotton 80%, polyester 15%, nylon 5%.
If a product consists of two or more components with different fibre contents - for example, a jacket with a lining - the content of each must be shown. Any decorative matter that makes up 7% or less of the product is excluded from the indication of fibre content. The word 'pure' should only be used where the garment is made up of only one fibre. The word 'silk' cannot be used to describe the texture of any other fibre - for example, 'silk acetate' is not permitted. Only certain names can be used for textile fibres. These are shown below.
Names that may be used for textile fibres
- wool, alpaca, llama, camel, cashmere, mohair, angora, vicuna, yak, guanaco, cashgora, beaver, otter (whether followed or not by the name 'wool' or 'hair')
- animal or horsehair, with or without an indication of the kind of animal
- silk, cotton, kapok, flax or linen, hemp, jute, abaca, alfa, coir
- polyurethane, vinyl, trivinyl, elastodiene, elastane, glass fibre, broom, ramie, sisal, sunn, henequen, maguey
- acetate, alginate, cupro, modal, protein, triacetate, viscose
- acrylic, chlorofibre, fluorofibre, modacrylic, polyamide or nylon, aramid, polyamide, lyocell, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbamide
- name corresponding to the material from which fibres are composed, such as metal (metallic), asbestos, paper, followed or not by the word 'yarn' or 'fibre'
This list is often updated as new technology produces new fibres. If you are using, buying or selling a fibre product with a name that does not appear on this list, contact your local trading standards service for advice.
From May 2012, any use of animal-derived materials will have to be clearly stated on textile product label. Textiles containing such products must be labelled 'contains textile parts of animal origin' to enable consumers to identify them. This will also help allergy suffers to distinguish between real fur and fake fur, for whom fur is a potential health hazard.
Advertisements
The Regulations require an indication of fibre content where products are advertised in such a way that they can be ordered by reference solely to the description in the advertisement. Advertisements include catalogues, the Internet, circulars, price lists and trade literature.
Products that do not have to bear a fibre content
- air supported structures
- animal clothing
- artificial flowers
- book covers
- buttons and buckles
- cordage, rope and string
- disposable articles
- egg cosies
- flags and banners
- funeral articles
- gaiters
- labels and badges
- make up cases
- muffs
- old made up textile products
- oven gloves
- packagings (not new and sold as such - for example, used potato sacks)
- painted canvas
- pin cushions
- protective prerequisites of sport
- purses, pouches, bags and saddlery
- safety items
- sails
- shoe cleaning cases
- sleeve protectors
- sleeve supporting arm bands
- slide fasteners
- spectacle, cigarette and cigar, lighter and comb cases
- stuffed pan holders
- table mats having several components and a surface area not exceeding 500cm2
- tapestries
- tea and coffee cosies
- textile parts of footwear (except warm linings)
- textile products for base and interlining fabrics and stiffening
- tobacco pouches
- toilet cases
- toys
- travel goods
- watch straps
(It is now compulsory to label felts and hats.)
It is an offence to supply or offer to supply textile products that do not comply with the above requirements. In addition, the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 prohibit misleading actions and omissions when describing products and services as well as misleading prices (see our leaflet 'A guide to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008').
Please note
This leaflet is not an authoritative interpretation of the law and is intended only for guidance. Any legislation referred to, while still current, may have been amended from the form in which it was originally enacted. Please contact us for further information.
Relevant legislation
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008
EU Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre composition of textile products
Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012
Last reviewed/updated: May 2012
© 2013 itsa Ltd on behalf of the Trading Standards Institute.
