The main driver of deforestation and forest degradation is the expansion of agricultural land, which is linked to the production of seven commodities: cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, and wood; and some of their derived products, such as leather or furniture.
There are many directives and regulations that address product compliance. Still it is practically impossible to cover all risks for all consumer products. The solution is a broad-based legislation to fill possible gaps and to complement existing and future legislation.
ESPR, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation provides the framework for more sustainable and circular products.
The EN 18031-series of standards will soon be harmonised and then provide a presumption of conformity with the essential requirements in Article 3(3) of the RED 2014/53/EU and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/30 on cybersecurity.
The PFHxA restriction enters into force on 10 October 2024, taking effect after transitional periods between 18 months and 5 years.
Overall, around 145,000 tonnes of microplastics are estimated to be used in the EU each year. And 42,000 tonnes of these microplastics end up in the environment from products intentionally containing them. The largest contribution with up to 16,000 tonnes is made by granules from artificial turf pitches.
CMR substances are chemical substances (or mixtures) of specific concern due to the long term and serious effects that they may have on human health.
Artificial leather, also called synthetic or imitation leather, is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses. Artificial leather is marketed under many names, including "leatherette", "faux leather", "vegan leather", "PU leather" and “pleather”.
Tanning is the method of preserving animal skin, with or without hair using tannins. These are acidic chemical compounds that stabilise the fibre structure of the skin and prevent it from decaying, decomposing and oxidising.
Textile dyes and pigments are chemical substances used to colour fabrics. The main difference between both is that dyes are soluble in water and pigments are not.
Softeners are finishing agents that are applied to textile materials to provide them with a pleasing touch or feel. As a general rule, the softening agents applied are lubricating agents, which facilitate the fiber sliding within the fabric structure, thus granting easier deformation and creasing of the fabric.
Many products - such as textiles, inks/paints/coatings, plastics, paper, - are coloured with dyes and pigments. These colours can fade or change when the products are exposed to water, light, rubbing, washing, perspiration etc.
Flame retardants are typically added to consumer products to meet flammability standards for furniture, textiles, electronics, and building products like insulation. Fire resistant fabrics could be of two types: natural flame resistant fibers or treated with a flame resistant chemical.
In order to add the required functional properties to textiles, it is customary to subject textile (yarn and/or fabric) to different types of physical and chemical treatments. Textile wet processing is done on manufactured fabrics or yarns.
Biocides are chemicals intended to kill or destroy living (micro)organisms. Preservatives are chemicals used in textiles to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Both biocides and preservatives are biocidal substances which are regulated due to major health and environmental concerns.
Everybody knows textiles. Textiles are materials made from fibers, thin threads or filaments that are natural or synthetic or a combination of both. Textile fibers can be classified in natural (organic) fibres and man-made (synthetic, industrial) fibers, there is an enormous variety of textile fiber types available.