What laws?
There are laws require that textile products sold in the shops are labelled with their fibre content (e.g. 80% cotton, 15% polyester, 5% nylon). The relevant laws are:
- Textile Products (Indication of Fibre Content) Regulations 1986
- Textile Products (Determination of Composition) Regulations 2008
Some textile products don’t have to be labelled. The 1986 Regulations contain lists of all sorts of products which are exempt from labelling requirements. These include textiles used in shoes, toys, and travel goods.
Do they cover nano?
Yes. Even though the Regulations do not actually refer to nano, they are broad enough to cover textiles containing nano.
How does that work?
Just because current laws don’t mention 'nano' doesn’t mean to say that nano textiles are excluded from regulation. The law applies in the same way to nano and non-nano products. To comply with the law, textile products containing nano must be labelled with their fibre content.
The laws do not require, however, that nano fibres are labelled as 'nano'. This means that consumers are unlikely to know that they are buying nano-based products.
Are there any laws relating to the safety of nano in textiles?
Not specifically, but textile products are covered by the General Product (Safety) Regulations 2005.
These Regulations cover all consumer products, and impose a duty on suppliers to ensure that products are safe before being placed on the market.
The Regulations apply to textile products, irrespective of how they were made and what they contain. This means that they also cover textile products containing nano.
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