REACH compliance
Also known as: EC 1907/2006, REACH Regulation
Compliance with the EU chemicals regulation REACH (EC 1907/2006) — applies to all textiles imported or sold in the EU, in particular the candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC).
Description
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is the central EU chemicals regulation EC 1907/2006 of 18 December 2006, applying to all chemicals and their uses in the EU — and therefore also to textiles produced, imported or sold in the EU. It is administered by the European Chemicals Agency ECHA based in Helsinki.
Three instruments are particularly relevant to the textile industry: (1) Annex XVII - restrictions: directly prohibits or limits certain substances in textiles, e.g. AZO dyes, nickel, DMFu (dimethyl fumarate), chromium VI in leather; (2) SVHC Candidate List - substances of very high concern such as nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO), lead, phthalate DEHP: if a textile contains SVHC above 0.1 % by weight the seller must actively inform buyers and notify ECHA (SCIP database); (3) Annex XIV - authorisation-required substances only usable with ECHA approval. Non-compliance can lead to heavy fines and market bans. In practice suppliers usually provide a REACH declaration with chemical reports from dye houses; brands increasingly also require test reports from accredited laboratories.
Properties
| Legal basis | EC 1907/2006 of 18 Dec 2006 |
|---|---|
| Competent authority | ECHA (Helsinki) |
| SVHC threshold | 0.1 % w/w per article - information and SCIP notification obligation |
| Textile-relevant restrictions | AZO dyes, nickel, DMFu, chromium VI, PFOS/PFOA |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- ECHA - REACH offiziell echa.europa.eu https://echa.europa.eu/de/regulations/reach/understanding-reach
