Apparel regulations overview 2026: Care label, safety testing, and sustainability

Global apparel regulations are tightening. In 2026, enforcement risk increasingly sits at the intersection of product safety, apparel care label regulations, and substantiated marketing claims. For apparel brands and manufacturers, the cost of getting clothing regulations wrong can mean shipment holds, recalls, penalties, delisting, and lasting reputational damage.

This article summarises the most impactful clothing safety regulations and labelling obligations affecting apparel in 2026, especially for companies selling into the EU and the US. It also explains how an independent testing partner can help you build evidence for apparel compliance across markets.

2026 headline changes for the apparel industry in the EU and US

• EU general product safety is fully in force under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), applicable from 13 December 2024, and it sets broad safe-by-design and responsive market surveillance expectations for consumer products, including many apparel items.
• Sustainability and durability-related claims will be subject to enhanced regulatory compliance standards starting in September 2026. Directive (EU) 2024/825 on Empowering consumers for the Green transition must be transposed into national law by Member States by 27 March 2026, with its requirements becoming fully applicable on 27 September 2026.
• EU fibre composition labelling remains foundational under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 (standardised fibre names and composition marking).
• The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is a key component of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan under the European Green Deal. It came into effect on 18 July 2024, replacing the previous Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, and expands the scope from energy-related products to almost all consumer goods sold in the EU.
Upcoming delegated acts under ESPR will be introduced soon, establishing specific requirements by product group, with textiles as a priority.
• The EU Deforestation Regulation is part of the EU's broader environmental strategy, which includes initiatives such as the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The regulation governs the products listed in Annex I, including cattle and timber. It imposes obligations on operators and traders who deal with them.
• France enacted Law No. 2025-188 (1), implemented by Decree No. 2025-1376, on 27 February 2025, banning the use of PFAS in cosmetics, clothing textiles, footwear, and ski waxes, effective January 2026, with additional restrictions extending to all PFAS-containing textiles by 2030.
• Denmark published BEK number 464 of 02/05/2025, Executive Order on the Prohibition of the Import and Sale to Consumers of Clothing, Footwear and Certain Impregnation Agents Containing PFAS.
• US CPSC eFiling under 16 CFR Part 1110 has taken effect for goods entered since 8 July 2026, requiring importers of covered CPSC-regulated products to transmit GCC and CPC certificate data to CBP through ACE at entry, including for de minimis and informal shipments; FTZ goods follow on 8 January 2027.
• US PFAS restrictions on apparel continue to expand, including California AB 1817 and New York’s PFAS apparel ban, both effective from 1 January 2025, with later threshold changes and delayed compliance dates for certain outdoor apparel.
• US and EU are requiring businesses to identify, prevent, and mitigate adverse human rights and environmental impacts across their entire value chains. For textile and apparel companies, this extends through every tier of the cotton supply chain, from the farm where cotton is grown through spinning, weaving, and dyeing to the finished garment or home textile product.

This information is summarised in the supporting table.

For full information, please click here.

How a third-party TIC partner supports apparel compliance

An independent third-party Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) partner such as Eurofins Softlines & Hardlines can help apparel brands and manufacturers turn complex regulatory requirements into a workable compliance process. By supporting product safety testing, care and fibre label verification, PFAS and other chemical assessments, certification evidence, and technical documentation, a TIC company helps businesses substantiate compliance before products reach the market and reduces the risk of shipment delays, enforcement action, recalls, and unsupported claims.