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| Issue date:07/12/2009 |
| ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel - Dec 2009 Issue |
| Source:Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel |
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| Garment markets in China have become a growth area for both Chinese and overseas apparel manufacturers and retailers. In the 2008 imported apparel product inspection, about 22% of imported apparel samples failed to meet requirements of GB 18401, according to the Shanghai Administration of Industry and Commerce. Meeting the mandatory requirements on general safety of textile products sold in China is thus essential for apparel traders to reduce risk of financial loss and to protect their corporate reputation |
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| Apparel samples can be randomly gathered at retailers by the authorities for product safety assessment |
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GB 18401 National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products is a required standard in China, specifying safety requirements, testing methods, inspection rules, and instructions for implementation and supervision across the country. Issued in 2003 and executed since 2005 with some updates last year, The regulations are enforced by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China, aiming to protect health and safety of human being and to protect the environment, according to Ding Youchao, Engineer in Textile Inspection, Jiangsu Entry-Exit Inspection & Quarantine Bureau of China.
Textile products are categorized into three groups based on the end use |
GB 18401 applies to textile products cover those produced, distributed and used for garment and decorative textiles in China, involving manufacturers, buyers and retailers. Export-oriented textile and apparel goods can be bound by contract agreements between the seller and the buyer.
Main technical requirements of GB 18401 |
This rule does not include textile goods for industrial uses or other applications in medical and toy fields etc. As GB 18401 mainly takes care of textile products for wearing or use, the requirements specified are relevant to areas that can have great impact on the product quality and human health. GB 18401 can also include mandatory requirements of foreign laws and regulations.
Areas for attention
Dyes of decomposable aromatic amines
Studies demonstrated that certain azo dyes could release certain carcinogenic and toxic aromatic amines, which would do harm to human health, leading to a general distaste of azo dyes containing decomposable aromatic amines.
Decomposable aromatic amines are thus strictly restricted to less than 20mg/kg in China, Mr Ding said. This rule can be more stringent than that in the European Union, which does not allow an amount more than 30mg/kg.
In addition, 23 kinds aromatic amines are on the ban list of GB 18401. Most of them are also prohibited in the EU (banning 22 kinds of aromatic amines under EU Directive 2002/61/EC).
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is prohibited as it is found possible to cause aspiratory inflammation and dermatitis. Formaldehyde can gradually be released from textile causing impair to human health.
The substance has been banned since 2001 in China, and it is now seldom found in the market.
pH value
The acceptable range of pH value of textiles lies between 4.0-7.5 for products used by babies (Class A) and products with direct contact of human skin (Class B), and 4.0-9.0 for products without direct contact of human skin (Class C).
For semi-finished products prior to wet processing, the pH value range can be extended to 4.0-10.5 under GB 18401-2003.
The pH value of apparel is under restriction because excessive acid or alkali textile goods can cause stimulus reaction to human skin that is slightly acidic by nature to fend off virus and bacteria.
“The pH value is an area often overlooked by overseas exporters as it seems to be a relatively minor issue,” said Mr Ding, and they are advised to ensure an appropriate pH value is achieve through washing or other approaches.
Colour fastness
Textile products with poor colour fastness is more vulnerable when they are in contact of perspiration and saliva, leading to bio-degradation of dyes on the textiles. For this reason, high colour fastness is preferred to minimize the risk of such chemical reaction.
Odour
Odour includes smell originated from volatile organic compounds (VOC), which could pose risks to human beings. The restricted odour includes smell from mould, high boiling fraction of petrol, fish and aromatic hydrocarbons.
It should be noted that GB 18401-2003 standard only specifies the general safety requirements. Other relevant requirements and standards are according to other relevant standards, adds Mr Ding.
A number of chemical and physical testing methods are drawn upon in accordance to GB 18401-2003, including GB/T 2912.1 on formaldehyde (equivalent to ISO 14184-1); GB/T 7573 on pH value (equivalent to ISO 3071); GB/T 17592 on azo dyes; GB 18401 on odour; GB/T 5713 on color fastness to water (equivalent to ISO 105 E01); GB/T 3922 on color fastness to alkali perspiration (equivalent to ISO 105 E04); and GB/T 18886 on color fastness to saliva.
In addition, GB 18401-2003 only mentions regulatory instructions on general safety, other requirements on textile products should be observed under the relevant standards.
Labeling is an area that many have ignored. With reference to GB 5296.4 (Care Labeling & Fiber Labeling), apparel goods should be adhered with suitable labeling indicating information of the manufacturer, product name, product model, original materials, washing instructions, advice on how to use and store the product, and more. Some imported apparel failed to pass the labeling requirement as discrepancy was found in terms of fiber contents between test results and what the label stated, Mr Ding added.
Textile products with fillings distributed and sold in China are also subject to the requirements specified in GB 18383-2007.
Both Chinese and imported textiles goods sold in China can be inspected by random to examine their compliance with the law in China, so businesses interested to the Chinese domestic markets might need to study further the relevant standards.
Caption: Apparel samples can be randomly gathered at retailers by the authorities for product safety assessment
Overseas recalls of Chinese exports increase
In markets abroad, more Chinese apparel exports to the United States and the European Union were recalled in the first three quarters of 2009.
The China Textile Industry Statistics Center, a Chinese government-supported statistics organization for textile industry, announced that there were totally 734 cases under the EU Rapid Alert System for non-food consumer products (Rapex) in the first nine months of 2009, up 30.37% from 2008. About 20% of all the alert cases or 153 cases were related to Chinese apparel exports, compared to 3.73% in 2008.
In the US, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled 163 of Chinese exports, representing 53.09% of all recalls. Of which, 21 cases were related to Chinese apparel exports, up 0.53% from last year.
Japan, another major importer of Chinese apparel exports, announced that it would restrict and monitor chemicals use in products starting 2010 by the means of law. Related industries will be required to submit yearly documents outlining their uses of chemicals in quantity, imported volume, purposes and etc.
The Chinese statistics center commented that the recalled apparel from the US and the EU were mainly childrenswear, sports wear and specialty garment products.
In face of more product recalls, textile entrepreneurs have to pay more attention to product safety compliance in the United States and the European Union.
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), Proposition 65 (California) and REACH are some new or reinforced regulations, according to Andre Leroy, Marketing Director of Modern Testing Services (Global) Ltd.
The CPSIA of the US has a focus on childrenswear for apparel and flammability and phtalates for sleepwear under the age of 12. A certificate of compliance for every shipment, based on testing on finished goods by a third party lab, is required.
Restricted substance lists (RSL) in the Proposition 65 of the US and Europe's REACH are getting longer as well.
Risk management is called for, Mr Leroy said, which demands lab/testing expertise and production expertise, so as to identify and eliminate bad chemicals from the supply chain and substitute with good chemicals.
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Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Credit goes to Adsale Industry Portal when used.
We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprint any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiries, please contact the Editorial Department. |
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