Guidelines for Nonuse of Harmful Substances for Textiles and Clothing

Japan Textile Federation

Date of development:
December 22, 2009
Revised on September 10, 2012
Renamed and revised on September 1, 2015

1.

Background and purpose

Amid consumers’ growing interest in safety and security of various products in recent years, it is
an important challenge to continue to meet the request of consumers for safety and security in textile
products including clothing as well.
From the viewpoints of ensuring the safety of textile products that are distributed in Japan andpromoting harmonization with the relevant regulations in other countries, the “study committee onenvironmental and safety issues in the textile industry (renamed in January 2015 to the “committeeon environmental and safety issues”)” was formed in September 2008, and the issues have been
examined since then. While there was a move afoot in the government to introduce the laws andregulations concerning specific azo dyes which produce aromatic amines by reductive cleavage, thevoluntary standards were developed in December 2009 by the textile industry ahead of the national
regulation for the supply chain as a whole with the aim of providing safer and worry-free textile
products.
In Japan, textile products are regulated under the “Act on Control of Household ProductsContaining Harmful Substances, Act No. 112 of 1973” not to allow toxic substances to mix into final
products. Under the new act that was promulgated on April 8, 2015 and will be enforced on April 1,2016, some azo dyes are added as controlled substances. Along with the enforcement of this act,
the existing “voluntary standards” are renamed to “guidelines,” and the textile industry will continue
its efforts to further improve safety of textile products as the top priority issue to be addressed.
Also, the guidelines provide for the recommended standards to eliminate harmful substances asmuch as possible from a wide variety of textile products that are handled in the activity area of Japan
Textile Federation.
2.

Guidelines

Applicable substances

Azo colorants (dyes and pigments) which generate 24 substances ofspecific aromatic amines by specified test methods.

Standard values andrules

As a result of reductive decomposition of azo groups by the prescribed test
methods, those azo colorants (dyes and pigments) from which specificaromatic amines are detected in excess of 30 μg/g (mg/kg) from textile
products must not be used.

Proof method

Analysis based on the specified test methods(However, such analysis is not necessary, if there are written nonuse
declarations of dye makers, dyeing companies and others.)

Analysis method

Methods that are proposed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare(in conformity with the ministerial ordinance promulgated in 2015)
Or, JIS L 1940-1 & 3: 2014, ISO 24362-1 & 3: 2014, EN 14362-1 & 3:
2012
For (leather materials), both ISO 17234-1: 2015 and ISO 17234-2: 2011
are applicable (analysis standards are reviewed whenever they arerevised).

*As for specific aromatic amines, see Annex 1.

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● Though pigments are not subject to the relevant laws and regulations, as azo compounds(including dyes and pigments) are listed in the government ordinance, the guidelines continue tobe applied to pigments as voluntary efforts for ensuring safety and security of textile products.
● Though the unit of reference values is expressed as μg/g in conformity with the “Act on Controlof Household Products Containing Harmful Substances, Act No. 112 of 1973,” it is equivalent tomg/kg. (For your information, a list of dyes that are known to generate 24 substances ofspecific aromatic amines is shown in Annex 3.
3.

Applicable products

The scope of application of the guidelines to textile products includes the following products thatare presented in the Standard Commodity Classification for Japan:
The numbers in parentheses represent the classification numbers
designated by the Standard Commodity Classification for Japan.
Applicable items

Applicable products

Apparel, except footwear and Outwears and intermediate wears (781), intimate apparel (782),
apparel accessories (78)nightwears (783), “wafuku” (Japanese style apparel) (784), hosiery(785), “tabi” (786), headwear (787), groves and mittens (exceptrubber) (788), and other apparel (except footwear and apparelaccessories) (789)Apparel accessories (79)Household(82)textileHandkerchiefs (791), neckwear (792), accessories of Japaneseclothings, “obi-dome” (sash band), “han-eri,” “susoyoke,”“furoshiki,” etc. (794), and other apparel accessories (799)articles Floor coverings (821), beddings (822), tablecloths (825), towels,bath mats and related articles (827), and other household textile
articles (829)* For details, see Annex 2.
Note: It should be noted that as leather goods (including fur goods) will be regulated, in addition totextile products, under the regulations on azo dyes, which are slated to be enforced on April 1,2016, leather (and fur) that are used as subsidiary materials of textile products are also subject
to the guidelines.
4.

Operation (for details, see Annex 4)

Efforts are made to create a foundation for further improvement of safety by checking theconformity with the standards with referring to the written declaration of nonuse of applicable
substances in each stage of supply chain and by identifying the traceability of products.
The manufacturers or distributors should assume legal responsibility for their individual products.
5.

Supplementary provision
The guidelines should be reviewed as appropriate to add applicable substances.

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