Who needs the test reports?
The company that sells the product in the EU or the US, usually the importer or the brand, is responsible for meeting the rules there. In practice it asks the exporter or manufacturer for test reports for each style, lot or order, and many buyers add their own restricted substances list (RSL) on top of the law.
So the useful question for an exporter or an importer is the same, wherever the product was made: which tests does this product need for this market, and is there a current report from an accredited lab for the lot being shipped?
Which tests do EU rules ask for?
Chemical limits for textiles in the EU sit mainly in REACH Annex XVII and the POPs Regulation. These are the ones textile buyers ask about most:
| Restriction | Limit | Method on the report |
|---|---|---|
| Azo dyes that release listed amines (REACH entry 43) | Each listed amine below 30 mg/kg | EN ISO 14362-1, EN ISO 14362-3 |
| Formaldehyde and other CMR substances in clothing (REACH entry 72) | Formaldehyde 75 mg/kg; extractable Cd, Cr(VI), As, Pb 1 mg/kg; listed phthalates; PAHs | EN ISO 14184-1, EN 16711-2, EN ISO 14389 |
| Nonylphenol ethoxylates in washable textiles (REACH entry 46a) | Below 0.01% (100 mg/kg) | EN ISO 18254-1 |
| Nickel release from metal trims (REACH entry 27) | Below 0.5 µg/cm²/week | EN 1811 |
| PFHxA and related substances (REACH entry 79) | PFHxA below 25 µg/kg; related substances below 1000 µg/kg. Clothing from 10 Oct 2026 | EN 17681-1, EN 17681-2 |
| PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS (POPs Regulation) | PFOA below 0.025 mg/kg | EN 17681-1 |
The EU also requires an accurate fibre composition label (Regulation (EU) 1007/2011) and safe products under the General Product Safety Regulation. The label rule doesn't name a test, but many buyers ask for a fibre composition test (ISO 1833) to support it. France also bans PFAS in clothing textiles for consumers from 1 January 2026.
See every EU rule, with dates and official sources, on our EU requirements page.
Which tests do US rules ask for?
| Rule | Applies to | Method on the report |
|---|---|---|
| Flammability of clothing textiles (16 CFR 1610) | All wearing apparel; some fabrics are exempt from testing | 16 CFR 1610 |
| Children's sleepwear flammability | Children's sleepwear, sizes 0–14 (with exceptions) | 16 CFR 1615, 16 CFR 1616 |
| Lead in children's products (CPSIA) | Products for age 12 and under: metal snaps, zips, plastic trims, prints and coatings (dyed textiles are exempt) | CPSC-CH-E1001-08.3, CPSC-CH-E1002-08.3, CPSC-CH-E1003-09.1 |
| Phthalates in child care articles (CPSIA) | Products for age 3 and under that help sleeping or feeding, e.g. bibs | CPSC-CH-C1001-09.4 |
| PFAS in textiles (California AB 1817) | Apparel sold in California: total organic fluorine below 100 ppm, below 50 ppm from 1 Jan 2027 | Total organic fluorine, EN 17681-1 |
For adult apparel that falls under 16 CFR 1610, the importer issues a General Certificate of Conformity based on a test or a reasonable testing programme. For children's products (12 and under), the importer issues a Children's Product Certificate based on tests by a third-party lab that CPSC has accepted for each required test. NABL accreditation alone isn't enough for those tests. Certificate data has been filed electronically at import since 8 July 2026.
New York and Maine also ban intentionally added PFAS in apparel, with Washington from 2027 and Colorado from 2028. Cotton goods can be asked for supply-chain documents under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. See the US requirements page.
What do buyers usually add?
- A restricted substances test against the AFIRM RSL or the brand's own list: azo amines, formaldehyde, APEO/NPE, phthalates, heavy metals, PFAS and pH.
- Fibre composition (
ISO 1833orAATCC 20A) to back the label. - Physical tests against the buyer's quality manual: dimensional change (
ISO 6330+ISO 5077, orAATCC 135for US buyers) and colourfastness (ISO 105-C06, orAATCC 61). - Certificates: OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, and GOTS, OCS or GRS for organic or recycled claims.
- Social compliance audits (amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA, SA8000, WRAP).
US buyers often name AATCC and ASTM methods where EU buyers name ISO methods for the same property. Ask which method your buyer wants before the sample goes to the lab.
How do I get a textile product tested?
- Pick the tests for the market and the product (adult or children's, and any claims on the label).
- Use a lab accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 (in India that's NABL accreditation). For US children's products, check that the lab is on CPSC's accepted list for each test.
- Take the sample from the production lot you're shipping, labelled with the style, colour and PO.
- Keep the report with that lot, and share it with the buyer with the method codes visible.
With TexPass, you order a test package for the market and send the sample to our Tiruppur or Bangalore office, wherever the product was made. An NABL-accredited lab tests it and issues the report. The results go on your product passport with the method codes and the lab's report number, marked Lab-tested. TexPass is not a lab. See testing and verification, how it works and prices.
What changes next?
- 10 October 2026: EU limits for PFHxA in clothing apply (other consumer textiles from 10 October 2027).
- 1 January 2027: California's PFAS limit for textiles drops to 50 ppm total organic fluorine; Washington's PFAS rules for apparel start.
- 14 December 2027: the EU ban on products made with forced labour applies.
- 1 January 2028: Colorado's PFAS rules for textiles apply.
- The EU textile Digital Product Passport is not adopted yet; it isn't required today.
Sources
We link to the official sites so you can check the details yourself. Rules and standards change, so check the source before you rely on them.
- ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)Entries 20, 27, 43, 46a, 50–52 and 72 for textiles.
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 (PFHxA)REACH entry 79: PFHxA limits for clothing from 10 Oct 2026.
- 16 CFR Part 1610 (eCFR)US flammability standard for clothing textiles.
- CPSC — Children's Product CertificateWho issues the CPC and the third-party testing it needs.
- California AB 1817 (PFAS in textiles)Total organic fluorine limits for textile articles.
- AFIRM Group — Restricted Substances ListThe RSL many apparel brands base their own lists on.
General information, not legal advice. Standards and regulations change; check the official source or ask your buyer what they need. See our disclaimer.