Sustainability has become a hot topic for business and retailers in the main EU markets, according to data collected from several EU countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
The emphasis on environmentally friendly products, fair and ethical trade and decent jobs in supply companies will be strongly supported by consumers. But sustainable sourcing also receives equally strong support from the retailers themselves. Most expect that this awareness will only grow in the next five years.
Retailers are constantly “greening” their supply chains more and more, adopting fair and ethical trading criteria and sustainability standards are increasing en masse.
If you want to import jeans, t-shirts, skirts, jackets or other clothing like a compression bra ( translated to Dutch: compressie bh) with your company, take product requirements into account. European and national legislation applies when you put clothing on the market. Also pay attention to the rules of parallel import when you import branded goods.
Do you import products like a Panache sport bra from Germany, Poland or another EU Member State? The EU provides movement of goods without any hassle. This means you never pay import duties on purchases from other EU member states. It is also not necessary to declare the goods to customs for import. You will have to deal with customs if you receive excise goods or consumer tax goods from another Member State.
The EU law sets essential requirements to ensure that products sold in the EU meet high health, safety and environmental standards.
These requirements can be about:
- the product itself, for example flammability, electrical properties or hygiene
- the production process
- the performance of the product, for example energy efficiency
Usually, the legislation specifies the results to be achieved or the hazards to be avoided, but does not prescribe specific technical solutions.
If you want to sell textile products in the EU, for example a sports bra (translated to Dutch: sport bh voorgevormd), they must comply with EU labeling requirements. In general, they must bear a label clearly stating the composition of all textile fibers used, as well as any non-textile parts of animal origin.
EU Ecolabel
The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary European eco-label for various non-food products and services. The aim of the label is to stimulate sustainable production and consumption within the EU / EEA. Companies may only use the EU Ecolabel if their product meets the requirements of Regulation (EC) No. 66/2010 on the EU Ecolabel.
An important condition is that hazardous substances in products have been replaced by safer substances.
On July 1, 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that it will check products made of specific material types such as rubber, plastics and textiles for compliance with restrictions for selected hazardous substances under the REACH and POP Regulation.
