CERT provide comprehensive product legislation and technical support across food, supplements, and household products, with the single exception of medicinal items. For tailored advice, please explore our website, call, or email us directly. Below is a concise guide to textile regulations and how CERT can assist:

Textile labelling regulations require all textile products to have clear, accurate fibre content indicated either on the product or its packaging. Only names authorised by regulation may be used for textile fibres, and there are specific exemptions for certain items. Where textiles are marketed so that consumers can order solely based on adverts—such as catalogues, online listings, and price lists—fibre content must also be stated in the advertisement to ensure transparency and compliance.

What is a Textile Product?

Definition: A textile product encompasses:

• Raw, semi-worked, semi-manufactured, or fully made-up items primarily consisting of textile fibres.
• Items with at least 80% textile fibre by weight—including furnishings and coverings.
• Textile elements of carpets, mattresses, and outdoor goods, and textiles forming an integral component of other products, where specified.

Labelling Requirements

All textile products must prominently display a label stating fibre content, either on the product or its packaging. CERT can help ensure your labels are resilient, legible, and compliant—vital particularly for multi-fibre products, where components making up over 85% of the finished item must be identified. For items with multiple components (such as a lined jacket), the composition of each distinct element must be shown. In wholesale supply, this information may be communicated through business documents, such as invoices.

Sustainability and animal welfare are also in focus: where products include animal-derived materials (fur, leather, bone), consumers must be clearly informed by the phrase ‘contains non-textile parts of animal origin’. This wording is mandatory. Incorrect labelling—such as claiming real fur is faux—is a legal offence.

Useful Tip

Decorative components comprising less than 7% of a product are excluded from fibre indication obligations.

Special Labelling Scenarios

Where textiles are sold as multipacks (floor cloths, handkerchiefs, hair nets, wash-gloves, and similar items), collective labelling is permitted for items of identical type and composition. There are additional rules for items such as corsetry, embroidered textiles, velvet and plush (and similar materials), and floor coverings with mixed fibre composition. CERT provide project-stage support to address these exceptions, reducing compliance risks and streamlining your development process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common queries include:

• Are explanatory documents a substitute for product labels?
• Must labels always be attached to the product? Is there a minimum character size?
• Can mattress labels be placed inside packaging, or must they be affixed? Are mattress covers treated separately?

CERT welcome any such compliance queries—support is available on a scheduled or ad-hoc basis and is tailored to your project’s needs.

Flammability Standards

Upholstery products fall under separate furniture safety rules and specific flammability requirements. For textiles, there is no harmonised EU flammability standard; however, products must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988. Relevant standards include:

• EN 1103 (fabrics for apparel)
• EN 12952 (bedding items ignitability)
• EN 13772/EN 13773 (curtains)
• BS 4790 (carpets)
• EN 14878 (nightwear for children)

CERT guide clients through both mandatory and recommended flammability labelling to ensure complete compliance.

Additional CERT Services for Textiles

CERT’s textile services include support with:

• Chemical regulatory requirements (REACH, CLP labelling)
• Wash care symbols (e.g., GINETEX)
• Care and maintenance instructions
• Colour management and continuity
• Performance testing and technical data (e.g., colourfastness, stability)
• Technical datasheet creation.

CERT offer bespoke solutions aligned with your development timeline and business objectives. Contact CERT for specialist guidance or to discuss your compliance requirements. We are ready to answer your technical questions and help safeguard your market access and reputation.

Services and Product Areas CERT support

Do you want to discuss a product?

Let’s see if we can get your product up and running with a service or specific product support. This link will help ensure you get matched with the best regulatory professional in the team for your enquiry and help us both make the most of our first call.

Clear Effective Responses to Technical challenges