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Eurofins >> Consumer Product Testing >> Media Centre >> News >> Softlines & Leather | Monthly bulletin | February 2020

Softlines & Leather | Monthly bulletin | February 2020

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Eurofins newsflash Softlines and Leather

Regulatory news - Commercial news 

 

Regulatory news


 

UK

 

The United Kingdom has left the European Union

 

On the 1st February 2020, the United Kingdom left the European Union. At this moment there is a transition period until the end of 2020 while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements. The current standards and legislations for the UK and EU will continue to apply during the transition period. New legislations will take effect on the 1st January 2021.

 

For further general information about Brexit click here to visit the GOV.UK website.

 

Europe

 

Standards updates

 

See the below table summarising the most recent standard 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(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

 

CEN

Reference

Title

Date of Withdrawal(*)

Supersedes

EN ISO 13938-1:2019

Textiles - Bursting properties of fabrics - Part 1: Hydraulic method for determination of bursting strength and bursting distension (ISO 13938-1:2019)

2020-06-30

EN ISO 13938-1:1999

EN ISO 13938-2:2019

Textiles - Bursting properties of fabrics - Part 2: Pneumatic method for determination of bursting strength and bursting distension (ISO 13938-2:2019)

2020-06-30

EN ISO 13938-2:1999

EN ISO 19577:2019

Footwear - Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components - Determination of Nitrosamines (ISO 19577:2019)

2020-06-30

 

EN ISO 20705:2020

Textiles - Quantitative microscopical analysis - General principles of testing (ISO 20705:2019)

2020-07-31

 

EN ISO 20706-1:2019

Textiles - Qualitative and quantitative analysis of some bast fibres (flax, hemp, ramie) and their blends - Part 1: Fibre identification using microscopy methods (ISO 20706-1:2019)

2020-06-30

 

 

US

 

Standards updates

 

See below a table summarising the most recent ASTM standards updates:

 

Reference

Title

ASTM D1448-11

Standard Test Method for Micronaire Reading of Cotton Fibers (Withdrawn 2020)

 

China

 

China published or updated GB Standards

 

On the 31st December, 2019, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) approved and released a total of 169 GB standards; some of them are closely related to our testing industry.

 

Leather and fur standards:

 

No.

Standard No.

Standard Name

Superseded Standard

Implementation Date

1

GB/T 8427-2019

Textiles-Tests for color fastness-Color fastness to artificial light:Xenon arc

GB/T 8427-2008

2020-07-01

2

GB/T 18319-2019

Textiles—Test method for solar heat storage property

GB/T 18319-2001

2020-07-01

3

GB/T 19941.1-2019

Leather and fur—Determination of formaldehyde content—Part 1: High performance liquid chromatography method

GB/T 19941-2005 (Part)

2020-07-01

4

GB/T 19941.2-2019

Leather and fur—Determination of formaldehyde content—Part 2: Colorimetric method

GB/T 19941-2005,GB/T 19941-2005 (Part)

2020-07-01

5

GB/T 19941.3-2019

Leather and fur—Determination of formaldehyde content—Part 3: Formaldehyde emissions

Initial

2020-07-01

6

GB/T 19942-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of banned azo colorants

GB/T 19942-2005

2020-07-01

7

GB/T 22798-2019

Test method for fiber shedding of towel products

GB/T 22798-2009

2020-05-01

8

GB/T 22799-2019

Test method for absorption of towel products

GB/T 22799-2009

2020-05-01

9

GB/T 22807-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of chromium(VI) content: Colorimetric method

GB/T 22807-2008

2020-07-01

10

GB/T 33610.1-2019

Textiles—Determination of deodorant property—Part 1: General principle

Initial

2020-07-01

11

GB/T 33610.3-2019

Textiles—Determination of deodorant property—Part 3: Gas chromatography method

Initial

2020-07-01

12

GB/T 38398-2019

Textiles—Filtration performance—Determination of most penetrating particle size

Initial

2020-07-01

13

GB/T 38401-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of dimethyl formamide content

Initial

2020-07-01

14

GB/T 38402-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of chromium(VI) content: Chromatographic method

Initial

2020-07-01

15

GB/T 38403-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of the preservative (TCMTB, PCMC, OPP, OIT) content: Liquid chromatography

Initial

2020-07-01

16

GB/T 38405-2019

Leather and fur—Chemical tests—Determination of short-chain chlorinated paraffins

Initial

2020-07-01

17

GB/T 38406-2019

Leather chemicals—Determination of tannin content in synthetic tanning agents

Initial

2020-07-01

18

GB/T 38407-2019

Leather and fur chemicals—Determination of chromium (VI) and the reductive potential for chromium tanning agents

Initial

2020-07-01

19

GB/T 38408-2019

Leather—Identification—Method of microscopy

Initial

2020-07-01

20

GB/T 38409-2019

Leather—Chemical tests—Determination of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP) content

Initial

2020-07-01

21

GB/T 38410-2019

Leather chemicals—Determination of tannin content in tanning agent—Filter method

Initial

2020-07-01

22

GB/T 38411-2019

Leather chemicals—Determination of the free formaldehyde in leather process auxiliaries

Initial

2020-07-01

23

GB/T 38412-2019

Leather goods—General specification

Initial

2020-07-01

24

GB/T 38413-2019

Textiles—Test methods for filtration of particulate matter

Initial

2020-07-01

25

GB/T 38414-2019

Home textiles classification

Initial

2020-05-01

26

GB/T 38416-2019

Fur-Identification—Method of microscopy

Initial

2020-07-01

27

GB/T 38419-2019

Textiles—Determination of Michler's ketone and Michler's base

Initial

2020-07-01

28

GB/T 38421-2019

Fur—Detection of animal derived material—Qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods

Initial

2020-07-01

29

GB/T 38385-2019

Determination of disperse yellow 23 and disperse orange 149 dyes in dye products

Initial

2020-11-01

 

The complete update can be found here (in Chinese).

 

International

 

Upcoming dates of application

 

As a reminder, please see the below standards and legislation that will come into effect within the next six months:

 

  • Legislations:

    Manufacturers and importers should carefully consider these upcoming dates of application and confirm that their products comply with these restrictions:

    • Brazilian Ordinance n.° 296, 12 June 2019
      The Resolution MERCOSUR/GMC/RES Nº 62/2018 has now been incorporated into the legal system of the MERCOSUR countries, as Ordinance No. 296.
      According to Article 6 of Ordinance n.° 296, Inmetro Ordinance No. 45 of January 17, 2011 will be revoked in 2020/07/10.

 

Product Recalls / Alerts

 

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 8 alerts regarding textile & leather products have been reported, from week 1 until week 3 of 2020.

 

Type of Risk

Number of alerts

Notes

Choking

2

Children’s clothes: The decorative elements can easily detach, generating in small parts

Injuries

3

Children’s clothes: Long ribbons or cods in the chest or the waist. Not complying with EN 14682

Strangulation

3

Children’s clothes: Drawstrings with free ends in the hood. Not complying with EN 14682

 

US

 

From the 21st December 2019 to the 20th January 2020, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 0 recall regarding Childcare and children’s products.

 

 

Commercial news


 

Eurofins | BLC One Day Leather Processing Course

 

Eurofins Textil Testing Spain in partnership with Eurofins | BLC Leather Technology Center will offer in Alicante a special traininig next 26th February. This course is ideal for tannery staff, leather processors, chemical companies as well as those interested in a greater understanding of raw to finished leather processing, this course provides an overview of the whole leather making process in just one day.

 

Read more >>

 

Webinar on Ensuring Chromium VI Compliance with Proposition 65 among Your Supply Chain

 

Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium, or more commonly known as Chromium VI, has become one of the key factors for 60-Day Notices issued by California Attorney General under The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).

 

Read more >>

 

Training on Environmental Awareness in the Textile Industry

 

This one-day training is designed for fashion and apparel industry retail buyers and merchandisers, sourcing teams, quality and CSR teams willing to start addressing the environmental risks in their supply chain, and willing to identify clear priority actions that can be taken at the production sites level. The course consists of lecture and interactive activities, inluding case study discussion and quiz to help you understand all topics more thoroughly. (Feb. 27 - Karachi, Pakistan).

 

Read more >>

 

Meet us at Booth 32 in 2020 ICPHSO Annual Meeting Symposium

 

ICPHSO returns to Orlando, FL to hold its Annual Meeting and Training Symposium on February 18 - 21, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. The four-day Annual Meeting and Training Symposium provides an opportunity for global health and safety professionals to participate in discussions that further enhance the safety of consumer products throughout the world.

 

Eurofins Softlines & Leather will be exhibiting at Booth 32 in ICPHSO. Our experts Ben, Maria, Leslie and David will be there to understand your sourcing challenges and offer solutions in term of product testing, inspection, factory audit, regulatory support and more. 

 

Read more >>

 

2019 was a fantastic year for the Chem-MAP® Team at Eurofins | BLC

 

The team worked with over 200 companies in the leather, textile, and chemical industries on achieving better chemical management

 

This video highlights their 2019 achievements and will give you valuable insight about how the Chem-MAP® Team is aiming to support businesses in 2020.

 

Chem-MAP® is a ZDHC certified programme focused on the implementation of robust chemical management systems in the leather, textile and synthetic materials supply chains. The aim of the programme is to prevent harmful chemicals from entering the materials supply chains, thereby protecting workers, consumers, and the environment.

 

Watch the video >>

 

Chem-MAP® chemical management systems for the entire supply chain

 

Discover How MRSL Testing can Help Reduce RSL Failures in Manufacturing and Support ZDHC Objectives

 

Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) testing is an essential component of chemical risk management, focusing upstream in the supply chain, beyond Restricted Substance Lists (RSL) testing. MRSL testing through Chem-MAP® can help to minimise RSL failures, providing a long-term financial benefit for your business and further reducing chemical risk to your customers, and the rest of the supply chain. Chem-MAP® MRSL test methods are used to determine the quantity of individual chemicals within a supplied chemical formulation, against those listed on the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) MRSL.

 

Read more >>