The European Commission clarifies the scope of textile CMR restrictions. The European Commission has proposed a draft to restrict the use of 286 chemical substances in textiles that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductively toxic. After a year-long public consultation period, the European Commission is preparing restrictions that are expected to be formally proposed to the REACH Committee this summer. This draft divides the restriction of harmful substances into two stages. The restriction requirements will prioritize textiles with "direct and long-term contact with the skin". In addition to clothing and footwear, this section also covers some textile products such as bed sheets, pillowcases and towels. In February this year, the European Commission held a stakeholder meeting and invited industry associations, academic experts, industry and NGOs to participate in the discussion of the textile category in the draft. During the meeting, the industry association believed that the classification of "direct and long-term contact with skin" is too general and must be stated in detail. After all, consumers' habits of using textile products vary greatly. Buttons, zippers and other non-textile items are often used on textile products. Whether these items are also covered by the draft must be clarified. In particular, which raw materials can be excluded from the above draft restrictions and should be listed in detail. The European Commission proposes to restrict the following chemical substances and similar substances in textiles: – formaldehyde; – cadmium, chromium, arsenic and lead compounds; – chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons; – phthalates; – polar aprotic solvents; –
