Anyone shipping textiles into the European Union must comply with Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011. The single biggest implication: fiber composition must appear in the official language(s) of every EU country where the product is sold. Get it wrong and customs at Rotterdam, Hamburg or Algeciras will refuse the shipment.
Who the regulation applies to
- Manufacturers, importers and distributors of textile products sold in the EU.
- Includes ready-made garments, fabrics, home textiles and accessories with > 80% textile content by weight.
- Applies regardless of country of origin — Chinese exporters, US brands and EU manufacturers all comply.
Mandatory information on the label
- Full fibre composition with percentages, in descending weight order.
- Use the official fibre names from Annex I of EU 1007/2011 ("Cotton", "Polyester", "Elastane", etc.) — local synonyms are not allowed.
- If the product contains non-textile parts of animal origin (leather, fur), add the phrase "Contains non-textile parts of animal origin".
- Must be in the language(s) of the member state where the product is sold to consumers.
How many languages do you actually need?
Most cross-border brands print one label that covers the largest EU markets in one block: German (DE), French (FR), Italian (IT), Spanish (ES), Dutch (NL) and Portuguese (PT). This six-language block is enough for shipments to Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal. Add Polish (PL) if you ship to Poland.
Care symbols, country of origin and CE
- Care symbols: ISO 3758 is accepted across the EU. EU 1007/2011 itself does not mandate them, but most retailers (Inditex, H&M, C&A) require them.
- Country of origin: not mandatory under EU 1007/2011 itself, but US-bound goods crossing through EU warehouses still need it. Most brands print it anyway.
- CE marking: textiles do NOT carry a CE mark — that's only for products under EU directives like toys or PPE. Including a CE on a wash care label is wrong.
Common compliance mistakes
- Using "Lycra" instead of "Elastane" — Lycra is a brand name, not the official EU fibre name.
- Translating only into English — English is not enough on its own for sales in DE, FR, IT, ES.
- Putting "100% Pure Cotton" — "Pure" is fine in marketing but the regulation requires "100% Cotton".
- Forgetting the "non-textile parts of animal origin" disclosure on jackets with leather patches.
Set up your EU multi-language block once. Reuse it across every SKU and every season — Mai Studio's EU template ships with all 27 languages ready to toggle.