COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2011/74/EU  
of 29 July 2011  
amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Annex II to Directive 96/73/EC 
of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain methods for quantitative analysis of 
binary textile fibre mixtures  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union,  
Having regard to Directive 96/73/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1996 on 
certain methods for quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre 
mixtures (  1 ), and in particular Article 5 thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Directive 2008/121/EC of the European Parliament and 
of the Council of 14 January 2009 on textile names (  2 ) 
requires labelling to indicate the fibre composition of 
textile products, with checks being carried out by 
analysis on the conformity of these products with indi ­
cations given on the label.  
(2) Uniform methods for quantitative analysis of binary 
textile fibre mixtures are provided for in Directive 
96/73/EC.  
(3) On the basis of recent findings by a technical working 
group, Directive 2008/121/EC was adapted to technical 
progress, by adding the fibre polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent to the list of fibres set out in Annexes I 
and V to that Directive.  
(4) It is therefore necessary to define uniform test methods 
for polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent.  
(5) Directive 96/73/EC should therefore be amended 
accordingly.  
(6) The measures provided for in this Directive are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee for 
Directives relating to Textile Names and Labelling,  HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:  
Article 1  
Annex II to Directive 96/73/EC is amended in accordance with 
the Annex to this Directive.  
Article 2  
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations 
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this 
Directive by 30 July 2012 at the latest. They shall forthwith 
communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.  
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain 
a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a 
reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member 
States shall determine how such reference is to be made.  
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the 
text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in 
the field covered by this Directive.  
Article 3  
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following 
its publication in the  Official Journal of the European Union . 
Article 4  
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 29 July 2011.  
For the Commission  
The President  
José Manuel BARROSOEN L 198/32 Official Journal of the European Union 30.7.2011  
( 1 ) OJ L 32, 3.2.1997, p. 1.  
( 2 ) OJ L 19, 23.1.2009, p. 29.ANNEX  
Chapter 2 of Annex II to Directive 96/73/EC is amended as follows:  
(1) the Summary Table is replaced by the following:  
‘2. SUMMARY TABLE  
Method  Field of application (  1 ) 
Reagent  
Soluble component  Insoluble component  
1. Acetate  Certain other fibres  Acetone  
2. Certain protein fibres  Certain other fibres  Hypochlorite  
3. Viscose, cupro or certain types of 
modal  Certain other fibres  Formic acid and zinc chloride  
4. Polyamide or nylon  Certain other fibres  Formic acid, 80 % m/m  
5. Acetate  Certain other fibres  Benzyl alcohol  
6. Triacetate or polylactide  Certain other fibres  Dichloromethane  
7. Certain cellulose fibres  Certain other fibres  Sulphuric acid, 75 % m/m  
8. Acrylics, certain modacrylics or 
certain chlorofibres  Certain other fibres  Dimethylformamide  
9. Certain chlorofibres  Certain other fibres  Carbon disulphide/acetone, 55,5/ 
44,5 v/v  
10. Acetate  Certain other fibres  Glacial acetic acid  
11. Silk, polyamide or nylon  Certain other fibres  Sulphuric acid, 75 % m/m  
12. Jute  Certain animal fibres  Nitrogen content method  
13. Polypropylene  Certain other fibres  Xylene  
14. Certain fibres  Certain other fibres  Concentrated sulphuric acid 
method  
15. Chlorofibres, certain modacrylics, 
certain elastanes, acetates, 
triacetates  Certain other fibres  Cyclohexanone  
16. Melamine  Certain other fibres  Hot formic acid 90 % m/m  
( 1 ) Detailed list of fibres under each method.’  
(2) point 1.2 of method No 1 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), flax (7) true hemp (8), jute (9), abaca (10), alfa (11), coir (12), 
broom (13), ramie (14), sisal (15), cupro (21), modal (22), protein (23), viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide or 
nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and poly ­
propylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).  
In no circumstances is the method applicable to acetate fibres which have been deacetylated on the surface.’;  
(3) point 1.2 of method No 2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. cotton (5), cupro (21), viscose (25), acrylic (26), chlorofibres (27), polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), 
polypropylene (37), elastane (43), glass fibre (44) elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).  
If different protein fibres are present, the method gives the total of their amounts but not their individual quantities.’;EN 30.7.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 198/33(4) method No 3 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘VISCOSE, CUPRO OR CERTAIN TYPES OF MODAL AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using formic acid and zinc chloride)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. cotton (5), polypropylene (37), elastolefin (47) and melamine (48).  
If a modal fibre is found to be present, a preliminary test shall be carried out to see whether it is soluble in the 
reagent.  
This method is not applicable to mixtures in which the cotton has suffered extensive chemical degradation nor 
when the viscose or cupro is rendered incompletely soluble by the presence of certain dyes or finishes that 
cannot be removed completely.’;  
(c) point 5 is replaced by the following:  
‘5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS  
Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of “d” is 1,00, except for cotton, for 
which “d” = 1,02 and for melamine, for which “d” = 1,01.’;  
(5) method No 5 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘ACETATE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using benzyl alcohol)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. triacetate (24), polypropylene (37), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicom ­
ponent (49).’;  
(6) method No 6 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘TRIACETATES OR POLYLACTIDE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using dichloromethane)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25), acrylic (26), 
polyamide or nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene (37), glass fibre (44) elastomultiester (46), elastolefin 
(47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).  
Note  
Triacetate fibres which have received a finish leading to partial hydrolysis cease to be completely soluble in the 
reagent. In such cases, the method is not applicable.’;  
(7) method No 7 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘CERTAIN CELLULOSE FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using 75 % m/m sulphuric acid)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47) and polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent (49).’;  
(c) point 5 is replaced by the following:  
“5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS  
Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of “d” is 1,00, except for poly ­
propylene/polyamide bicomponent, for which the value of “d” is 1,01.’;EN L 198/34 Official Journal of the European Union 30.7.2011(8) point 1.2 of method No 8 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25), polyamide or nylon (30), 
polyester (35), polypropylene (37), elastomultiester (46), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/ 
polyamide bicomponent (49).  
It is equally applicable to acrylics, and certain modacrylics, treated with pre-metallised dyes, but not to those dyed 
with afterchrome dyes.’;  
(9) point 1.2 of method No 9 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), silk (4), cotton (5), cupro (21), modal (22), viscose (25), acrylic (26), polyamide 
or nylon (30), polyester (35), polypropylene (37), glass fibre (44), elastomultiester (46), melamine (48) and 
polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).  
When the wool or silk content of the mixture exceeds 25 %, method No 2 shall be used.  
When the polyamide or nylon content of the mixture exceeds 25 %, method No 4 shall be used.’;  
(10) method No 10 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘ACETATE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using glacial acetic acid)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. certain chlorofibres (27) namely polyvinyl chloride fibres, whether after-chlorinated or not, polypropylene 
(37), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).’;  
(11) method No 11 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘SILK OR POLYAMIDE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using 75 % m/m sulphuric acid)’  
(b) point 1 is replaced by the following:  
‘1. FIELD OF APPLICATION  
This method is applicable, after removal of non-fibrous matter, to binary mixtures of:  
1. silk (4) or polyamide or nylon (30)  
with  
2. wool (1), animal hair (2 and 3), polypropylene (37), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/ 
polyamide bicomponent (49).’;  
(c) point 2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. PRINCIPLE  
The silk or polyamide or nylon fibre is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the mixture, with 75 % 
m/m sulphuric acid.  
The residue is collected, washed, dried and weighed. Its mass, corrected if necessary, is expressed as a 
percentage of the dry mass of the mixture. The percentage of the dry silk or polyamide or nylon is 
found by difference.’  
(d) point 4 is replaced by the following:  
‘4. TEST PROCEDURE  
Follow the procedure described in the general instructions and proceed as follows:  
To the specimen contained in a glass-stoppered conical flask of at least 200 ml capacity, add 100 ml of 75 % 
m/m sulphuric acid per gram of specimen and insert the stopper. Shake vigorously and stand for 30 minutes 
at room temperature. Shake again and stand for 30 minutes. Shake a last time and filter the contents of the 
flask through the weighed filter crucible. Wash any remaining fibres from the flask with the 75 % sulphuric 
acid reagent. Wash the residue on the crucible successively with 50 ml of the dilute sulphuric acid reagent, 
50 ml water and 50 ml of the dilute ammonia solution. Each time allow the fibres to remain in contact with 
the liquid for about 10 minutes before applying suction. Finally rinse with water, leaving the fibres in 
contact with the water for about 30 minutes. Drain the crucible with suction, dry the crucible and residue, 
and cool and weigh them.EN 30.7.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 198/35In the case of binary mixtures of polyamide with polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, after filtering fibres 
through the weighed filter crucible and before applying the described washing procedure, wash twice the 
residue on the filter crucible with 50 ml of 75 % sulphuric acid reagent each time.’;  
(e) points 5 and 6 are replaced by the following:  
‘5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS  
Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of “d” is 1,00, except for wool, for 
which “d” = 0,985, for polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, for which “d” = 1,005 and for melamine, for 
which “d” = 1,01.  
6. PRECISION  
On a homogeneous mixture of textile materials, the confidence limits of results obtained by this method are 
not greater than ± 1 for a confidence level of 95 %, except for binary mixtures of polyamide with poly ­
propylene/polyamide bicomponent for which the confidence limits of results are not greater than ± 2.’;  
(12) method No 14 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘CERTAIN FIBRES AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using concentrated sulphuric acid)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. chlorofibres (27) based on homopolymers of vinyl chloride, whether after-chlorinated or not, polypropylene 
(37), elastolefin (47), melamine (48) and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent (49).  
The modacrylics concerned are those which give a limpid solution when immersed in concentrated sulphuric 
acid (relative density 1,84 at 20 °C).  
This method can be used in place of methods No 8 and No 9.’;  
(c) point 2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. PRINCIPLE  
The constituent other than the chlorofibre, polypropylene, elastolefin, melamine or polypropylene/polyamide 
bicomponent (i.e. the fibres mentioned in paragraph 1.1) is dissolved out from a known dry mass of the 
mixture with concentrated sulphuric acid (relative density 1,84 at 20 °C). The residue, consisting of the 
chlorofibre, polypropylene, elastolefin, melamine or polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent is collected, 
washed, dried and weighed; its mass, corrected if necessary, is expressed as a percentage of the dry mass 
of the mixture. The percentage of the second constituents is obtained by difference.’;  
(d) point 5 is replaced by the following:  
‘5. CALCULATION AND EXPRESSION OF RESULTS  
Calculate the results as described in the general instructions. The value of “d” is 1,00, except for melamine 
and polypropylene/polyamide bicomponent, for which the value of “d” is 1,01.’;  
(13) method No 16 is amended as follows:  
(a) the title is replaced by the following:  
‘MELAMINE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES  
(Method using hot formic acid)’  
(b) point 1.2 is replaced by the following:  
‘2. cotton (5), aramid (31) and polypropylene (37).’.EN L 198/36 Official Journal of the European Union 30.7.2011