Textile labelling A concern for the EU consumer?

The textile and clothing sector constitutes a major segment in the European manufacturing industry and plays an essential role in the EU economy as such and in the social welfare of its consumers. The development of new applications of textile fibres and products demonstrate the need for uniform legal acts within the EU regarding to textile labelling. The textile labelling area covers the specific disclosure of information on fibre composition; care-instructions; chemical substances; corporate social responsibility production; sizing; country of origin etcetera. Over the years, the EU has developed a wide body of consumer protection law. This encompasses policy instruments designed to ensure the safety of products placed on the consumer market and to protect consumers from unfair commercial practices, as well as instruments which seek to guarantee that consumers are provided with clear and correct information before they enter into a contract. Conveying accurate information on labels can limit the scope of misleading or even fraudulent marketing of goods by the industry. In view of the studies carried out on behalf of the Commission and the stakeholder consultations mentioned above, and despite the applicable general and specific rules on labelling on an EU level, it is doubtful whether these rules in fact protect EU consumers. This leads to the following main question: To what extent does European consumer policy protect consumers against inaccurate or misleading information on textile & clothing labels? This research assesses whether the Textile Regulation, self-regulatory instruments and/or horizontal legislation together adequately safeguard consumers against inaccurate or misleading information on textile labels. The assessment includes the labelling policy of the T&C industry that operates within the European consumer market.