3 june 2015

China-made clothes carry toxic risk

Checks reveal significant irregularities which affect the information on labels

Labels with false information, substances which are banned in China but allowed in cases where clothes are destined to European markets... The recent seizure by the Guardia di Finanza of Chinese clotes produced with the use of highly carcinogenic amines is just the tip of the iceberg.
The results of the tests conducted in 2013 by Brachi Laboratory and Buzzi Laboratory on dozens of clothing for adults and children with label of origin Made in China already aroused some concern. The 2015 report is even worse, from the point of view of both chemical safety and veracity of the information label. The data on the use of substances which are dangerous for the environment released in the washing of clothes is decreasing but is still very high.

According to the EU rules in force in Italy, 4% of tested items is seriously non-compliant because it contains azo dyes that can release aromatic amines, banned at all levels because they are highly carcinogenic. According to Chinese law, 18 heads of 67 (27%) could not be marketed in China because they violate the parameters of stability to water, sweat, saliva and rubbing. Moreover, regarding the veracity of the statements on the label, 60% of the tested items fails to comply, whatever the tolerances – European or Chinese – taken as a reference.

The president of the Industrial Association of Prato Andrea Cavicchi said: “Differently from Europe, China has very strict rules for products sold in the domestic market, not for export, while the REACH (the EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) only considers the production aspects, not the marketing ones. In short, China legitimates the export of products with a dangerous ecotoxicological connotation, limiting, at the same time, imports from abroad through regulations which are often unjustifiably restrictive. In this way we are penalized twice: we receive goods of dubious safety while our products have a hard time in passing the Chinese customs”.

“The situation is actually detrimental to our companies”, said the sales and marketing manager of Brachi Giulio Lombardo. “However it would be useful to ask ourselves some questions about our responsibilities. Cavicchi is right to emphasize the rigidity of the constraints imposed to brands – as well as to Chinese companies – to sell their products in China. Even the controls are very strict and that's what makes the difference. That China is not as rigorous with export products is a well known fact. It would be up to us, however, to prevent the entry of non-conforming or even dangerous items. We should start from here, from what we can do directly without the help of anyone”.

And consumers? According to the chairman of the Group Primo Brachi, some consumer behaviors contribute to strengthen the phenomenon.. “Sustainability values, fortunately, are becoming popular even in Italy, but many people still look only at the price, without caring about compliance or, more simply, the quality of what they buy”.

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