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Health assessment of Textiles

Texttilien

Every day we wear our clothes but health risks are often not known – garments do not require any authorisation. A dedicated working group, therefore, deals with the risk assessment of textiles and leather at BfR.

Under the keyword “textiles” BfR examines garments and finishing agents used – for instance materials such as Gore-Tex, impregnating agents, dyes and many other products.

These items are classified as consumer articles under the German Food, Consumer Articles and Feed Code. Consequently, they must be produced and treated in such a way that they do not endanger health.

However, since there is no mandatory authorisation or registration for textiles, comprehensive knowledge on possible risks is missing.

Working Group “Textiles and Leather”

In order to close this gap, BfR has set up the “Working Group “Textiles and Leather” (Link). It is part of the Consumer Articles Committee and elaborates statements on the risk potential of colorants, finishing and auxiliary agents for textiles.

In this function the Working Group continues the work of the former “Health Assessment” panel of the Textiles Working Group.

The Working Group discusses general production processes, innovative products, test procedures, but also special product analyses concerning, for instance, contaminants in leather products, the release of nanoparticles in novel garments or allergic reactions to dyes.

Legal bases:

  • Food, consumer articles and feed code
  • Consumer Goods Ordinance
  • German equipment and product safety act

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Opinion

 (1)
Date Title Size
06.07.2012
Updated BfR Opinion No. 041/2012
Introduction to the problems surrounding garment textiles 201.9 KB
PDF-File

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Other documents

 (2)
Date Title Size
01.10.2001
October 2001;
Health assessment of specific stilbene derivatives used as textile auxiliaries or in detergents 54.8 KB
PDF-File
20.11.2006
Consumers vote on nanotechnology
BfR Consumer Conference on Nanotechnology in Foods, Cosmetics and Textiles 130.3 KB
PDF-File

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Press releases

 (4)
Date Title Keywords
05.03.2014
06/2014
Per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances put to the test chemical safety , textiles
10.03.2008
05/2008
Consumer products - Safety despite diversity
07.03.2008
A/2008
Safety of Consumer Products
02.07.2007
10/2007
Chromium (VI) in leather clothing and shoes problematic for allergy sufferers!

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Communication

 (1)
Date Title Size
01.03.2019
BfR Communication No 005/2019
Preliminary estimation of undesired substances in diapers 143.8 KB
PDF-File

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