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Clothing labels often fail to reflect true composition, European check finds
🇸🇮 Slovenia /Economy & Trade

Clothing labels often fail to reflect true composition, European check finds

From Delo · () Slovenian

Translated from Slovenian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A European compliance check found that clothing labels often misrepresent the actual fiber composition of garments.
  • Out of 132 tested items, 37% had incorrect labeling regarding fiber content, with discrepancies in proportions or the presence of cheaper, unlisted fibers.
  • These inaccuracies pose economic risks to consumers, distort fair competition, and hinder textile recycling efforts.

European authorities have identified significant discrepancies between the fiber content listed on clothing labels and the actual composition of the garments. A recent compliance campaign, JACOP 2025, involving market surveillance bodies from eight EU countries, tested 132 clothing items. The results revealed that 49 samples, or 37%, had inaccurate labeling.

The tested items included various types of apparel such as tops, baby clothes, sportswear, sleepwear, scarves, and other garments made from wool, cotton, and various fiber blends. Testing was conducted by accredited laboratory personnel in Italy. The most common issues involved incorrect proportions of listed fibers, the presence of different, often cheaper, fibers than stated, or misidentification of the fibers themselves.

These labeling inaccuracies extend beyond consumer information. Market surveillance authorities view them as an economic risk to buyers, creating unfair competition among businesses, and complicating the crucial process of textile recycling, which relies on precise fiber identification. The campaign was supported by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROW).

Scarves showed the highest rate of non-compliance, with 80% of samples failing the test. Tops had a failure rate of 54%, and baby clothes 25%. Sportswear and sleepwear had lower non-compliance rates at 13% and 16%, respectively. Products labeled as blends of natural and synthetic fibers exhibited the most significant issues, with a 64% non-compliance rate. Online purchases also showed a higher rate of incorrect labeling (46%) compared to items bought in physical stores (36%).

Such non-compliance is not just a matter of consumer information. According to market surveillance authorities, it also represents an economic risk for consumers, distorts fair competition between companies, and hinders textile recycling, which requires precise fiber identification.

— Market surveillance authoritiesThe authorities explained the broader implications of inaccurate clothing labels.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delo in Slovenian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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