Sustainable Fashion

Everything you want to know about the sustainability of the textile and fashion industry

What You Should Know About Textile Regulations in Canada

Canada has a few regulations related to textiles which are centered towards the protection of human health. One of them is the latest version of the Canada Consumers Product Safety Act (CCPSA) which came into force in 2010 and was last amended in 2020.1 The aim of the CCPSA is to protect consumers from harmful products; if a product is considered to be a danger towards human health or safety, then it cannot be sold or produced in Canada.

In addition, the safety of textile products should be considered in light of the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations of 2012 to better determine which products may be harmful to human health. This legislation was adopted under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act of 1998 and contains a list of substances prohibited for use in consumer goods including textiles.3

The Textile Labeling Act of 20024 together with the Textile Labeling and Advertising Regulation of 20065 are directly related to textiles. They put forth rules which must be followed and respected by retailers and importers on the labeling of textiles. According to the Regulation of 2006, “the generic name of each fiber present, in an amount of 5% or more, must be stated as a percentage of the total fiber mass of the product“; this could be problematic since it does not disclose information to consumers regarding the content of fabrics under 5% or the material used in the accessories. Regardless, if a product does not comply with these obligations, it cannot be sold in the Canadian Market.6

Furthermore, Canada has a regulation related to Flammability of Textiles, effective since June 2016.7 Adopted as part of the CCSPA, this regulation sets standards related to flame spread as a measure of time and its application to textiles and bedding. Textiles can be tested to meet the government’s minimum requirements, which is a flame spread ranging from 3.5 and 4 seconds.8

Similarly in June of 2016, the Children Sleepwear Regulation was adopted and applies to this particularly vulnerable group of consumer goods, specifically regarding children’s sleepwear.9 After defining the scope of the legislation, a distinction was agreed upon between tight and loose sleepwear. Then, the legislation set specific methods of testing for these garments as well as specific regulations on labeling flame-retardant chemicals in such products.10

In conclusion, Canada needs a more refined and concrete legislation framework related to textiles. There are a few standards recognized by the local governments which are still not mandatory, such as those regarding the production and use of nanomaterials.11 The lack of mandatory regulation is a serious obstacle for the progression towards a more sustainable future in the industry and for the country.

References


  1. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/C-1.68.pdf

2. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/SOR-2012-285.pdf

3. Information extracted from “Clothing and Textiles Regulations in Canada: A Complete Guide”, September 30th 2019, F. Gronkvist: https://www.compliancegate.com/canada-clothing-textiles-regulations/

4. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://laws.justice.gc.ca/PDF/T-10.pdf

5. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/C.R.C.,_c._1551.pdf

6. Information extracted from “Clothing and Textiles Regulations in Canada: A Complete Guide”, September 30th 2019, F. Gronkvist: https://www.compliancegate.com/canada-clothing-textiles-regulations/

7. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/SOR-2016-194.pdf

8. For more information, please refer to the Canadian Government website related to the matter on 19 May 2021: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/industry-professionals/industry-guide-flammability-textile.html

9. Please refer to the text of the legislation: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/SOR-2016-169.pdf

10. For more information, please refer to the the Canadian Government website related to the matter on 19 May 2021: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/legislation-guidelines/guidelines-policies/guide-children-sleepwear-flammability-requirement.html

11. For more information on the subject, please refer to the Canadian Government website: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/textiles-textiles.nsf/eng/h_tx03226.html

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