China implements new mandatory textile standards for children's clothing

China is now taking a positive step towards improving safety of baby and children's apparel. This comes a year after nationwide textile product inspections revealed that more than 10 percent of children's products, including garments, failed to meet safety regulations.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine announced recently the country's first mandatory textile standards for children. These are expected to guide manufacturers in ensuring that their products do not pose health and safety hazards.

Under the new rules, textiles are classified as materials for infants aged 36 months and below, and for children 3 to 14-years old. It also breaks children's garments into three safety regulation groups. Class A comprises all infant textile products and is very strict in terms of appropriate materials. All garments that come into direct contact with the skin belong to Class B. These must meet or exceed the standard's guidelines. Those that do not touch the skin directly are categorized in Class C.

The standard bans six plasticisers and two heavy metals, namely lead and cadmium, in children's apparel. Mechanical safety requirements for cords, stipulations and combustilibility are likewise set. Cords, for instance, are banned from the neck area of garments for children under 7-years old while sharp accessories are eliminated entirely.

The rules also require suppliers to attach labels bearing the item's safety category to each garment to inform buyers.

The transition period for full compliance is set from June 1, 2016 to May 30, 2018. During the peroid, products manufactured before the effective date that met the previous national textile standards can remain in the market. After the two-year window, all textile products for infants and children must comply with the new standards. This transition period allows companies to make technical improvements and gives retailers enough time to empty their inventory.