For a garment sold to a consumer in Finland, the fibre-content declaration starts at EU level. Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 sets the textile fibre names, composition percentages and related labelling and marking rules for textile products. The manufacturer supplies the label or marking and is responsible for its accuracy; where the manufacturer is not established in the Union, that responsibility sits with the importer. The Regulation also requires the fibre composition to be visible to the consumer before purchase, including an electronic purchase. For the shared groundwork, see our garment labelling guide. [1] [2]
What must appear on an apparel label sold in Finland?
Article 16(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 provides: “The labelling or marking shall be provided in the official language or languages of the Member State on the territory of which the textile products are made available to the consumer, unless the Member State concerned provides otherwise.” [3]
Section 17 of the Constitution of Finland provides: “The national languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish.” Accordingly, the fibre-composition declaration for a garment made available to consumers in Finland is prepared in Finnish and Swedish, subject to any provision Finland makes under Article 16(3). Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 does not require use, maintenance or care information to appear alongside that fibre declaration. [4]
The detailed user-instruction requirements are set by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority. Obtain the current text from the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority before label artwork is approved. [5]
Regulation 1007/2011 requires the name and percentage by weight of all constituent fibres, in descending order, using the fibre names set out in the Regulation's own annex. Under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 Article 9(2), a fibre accounting for up to 5% of the total weight, or fibres collectively accounting for up to 15%, may instead be shown as “other fibres” with their combined percentage, but only where they cannot easily be stated at the time of manufacture. Article 9(5) provides a separate route for fibres not yet listed in Annex I: they may be designated “other fibres” with their total percentage by weight, without the Article 9(2) thresholds. Where a product contains two or more textile components with different textile fibre contents, the fibre content of each component is stated, subject to the Article 11 exception. [1]
| Label field [6] [7] | EU requirement | Production record to use |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre content | Generic names and percentages per Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 | Final fabric and component specification |
| Language | Fibre composition descriptions must be in the official language or languages of the Member State where the products are made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise | Approved language artwork for the destination market |
| Separate components | Each textile component with a different textile fibre content is labelled or marked; the Article 11 exception applies where the component is not a main lining and is less than 30% of the product's total weight | Component and trim specification with component weights |
| Handling, care and washing information | Regulation 1007/2011 considers a possible future harmonised care-labelling system in Article 24. Separately, instructions on use, maintenance and care are supplied where necessary for normal use; generally recognised garment-washing symbols may be used | Record the basis for any necessary instructions and retain the approved symbols or wording separately from the fibre declaration |
| Tolerance | Article 20 contains conditional tolerances: extraneous fibres below 2%, or 5% after carding, need not be indicated only where technically unavoidable in good manufacturing practice and not added as a matter of routine; Article 8(3) sets a 0.3% limit for the specified wool products; the 3% tolerance compares an Article 9 declaration with analysis | Lab test report, process record and declared composition |
| Product identification and contact details | Under Regulation (EU) 2023/988, the manufacturer must provide product identification and its name, trade name or trade mark, postal address and electronic address; this is separate from the textile fibre declaration | Product identification and legal entity details confirmed at order |
Assess whether the product contains textile components with different identifiable fibre contents and apply the component rules where relevant. Article 11 makes the two-part exception for a component that is not a main lining and represents less than 30% of the total weight; this is why component weights belong in the production record before label copy is frozen.
How do the Article 7 and Article 20 tolerances work?
Article 7 governs when a textile product may be described as “100%”, “pure” or “all”. Those terms are for products exclusively composed of the same fibre. Article 7(2) allows a product containing no more than 2% by weight of extraneous fibres to be treated as exclusively composed of that fibre where the quantity is technically unavoidable in good manufacturing practice and is not added as a matter of routine. The corresponding figure is 5% for a product that has undergone a carding process, on the same conditions. The Article 7(2) route is without prejudice to Article 8(3): for the fleece wool or virgin wool products covered by Article 8(1) and (2), including those which have undergone carding, extraneous fibres may not exceed 0.3% by weight and must meet those same conditions.
Article 20 applies tolerances when establishing fibre composition. Its 2% and 5% rules mean that qualifying extraneous fibres in an Article 9 composition do not need to be indicated. They are not a general allowance for adding other fibres. Article 20(3) separately permits a 3% manufacturing tolerance between the fibre composition stated under Article 9 and the percentages obtained through Article 19 analysis, calculated against the total weight of fibres shown on the label or marking. It also applies to fibres designated “other fibres” under Article 9 and to the wool percentage in Article 8(2)(b). The Article 20(2) and (3) tolerances are calculated separately. They may be applied together only where the extraneous fibres found by analysis are of the same chemical type as one or more fibres shown on the label or marking. Keep the declared composition, the manufacturing basis for any extraneous fibres and the analysis report together in the production file.
What do the supplied EU rules say about care information and origin?
Care information and origin information are separate questions from the fibre declaration. The product-safety rule is risk-based, while Article 24 of Regulation 1007/2011 is a review provision on possible future labelling requirements.
Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 is a fibre-composition rule. Article 24 considers possible new labelling requirements, including an origin-labelling scheme aimed at giving consumers accurate country-of-origin information and additional information for full traceability, and a harmonised care-labelling system. The instrument also contains a European Parliament and Council statement on origin indications and the possible use of new technologies to improve product traceability. [1]
Regulation (EU) 2023/988 requires manufacturers to accompany a product with clear instructions and safety information in a language easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State where the product is made available. That requirement does not apply where the product can be used safely and as intended without those instructions and safety information. Separately, Finnish consumer guidance requires use, maintenance and care instructions where they are necessary for normal use. Those instructions must be readily available in Finnish and Swedish, except that generally recognised markings, including garment washing instructions, may be used. [2] [7]
What language does the EU fibre rule require?
Article 16(3) of Regulation 1007/2011 requires the labelling or marking to be provided in the official language or languages of the Member State where the textile products are made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. Article 16(1) also requires the relevant fibre-composition information to be easily legible, visible and clear, in print uniform in size, style and font, and visible to the consumer before purchase. The Regulation's language rule applies to fibre names and composition descriptions, rather than creating a general rule for every item of information that may appear on a garment. [2]
| Requirement | Basis | What it means for the label |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre composition in the destination-market language | Regulation 1007/2011 Article 16(3) | Use the official language or languages required by the Member State of sale, unless it provides otherwise |
| Instructions and safety information, where required | Regulation (EU) 2023/988 Article 9(7) | Use a language easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State of sale |
| Other label information | Article 16(2) | Display information other than the fibre description separately |
The production file should identify the Member State in which the product is made available to consumers and retain the approved wording for that market. The language rule includes an express qualification: the Member State concerned may provide otherwise. That qualification matters when adapting a single EU label file to different markets. It is also distinct from the visibility rule, which applies before purchase to catalogue and trade literature, packaging, labels and markings.
How should children's clothing cords be considered?
The supplied instruments do not set out a cord or drawstring specification. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 instead requires manufacturers to ensure that products are designed and manufactured in accordance with the general safety requirement, to carry out an internal risk analysis before placing products on the market, and to keep the resulting technical documentation available to market-surveillance authorities for 10 years. For a garment with cords, record the identified risks, the measures taken to eliminate or mitigate them, and any relevant standards or test reports used in the assessment. [8]
What does a compliant fibre declaration look like?
| Fibre statement | Required wording | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| Single fibre, 100% | A product exclusively composed of the same fibre may use “100%”, “pure” or “all” | Use an Annex I fibre name; apply Article 7(2) only to technically unavoidable, non-routine extraneous fibres, subject to the Article 8(3) wool exception |
| Blend example | Name and percentage by weight of all constituent fibres, in descending order | Apply the 5% and 15% thresholds to the Article 9(2) “other fibres” route; Article 9(5) separately covers fibres not yet listed in Annex I |
| Animal-origin note | “Contains non-textile parts of animal origin” | Include the phrase where non-textile animal-origin parts are present, in a way the consumer can easily understand |
A declaration should use the fibre names in Annex I and the official language or languages required under Article 16(3) for the market of sale, subject to any provision made by that Member State. Keep trade marks and undertaking names immediately before or after the fibre-composition description where Article 16 permits them, and display other information separately.
What should be checked before using a common EU label file?
An apparel label built to satisfy Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 in English, and assumed to be portable across the EU, needs a separate check of its destination-market language and any risk-based safety information.
| Common label issue | Why it needs checking | Production action |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre content in one language | Article 16(3) ties the fibre declaration to the official language or languages of the Member State where the product is made available, unless that Member State provides otherwise | Confirm the required destination-market language before artwork approval |
| No instructions or safety information | Article 9(7) of Regulation (EU) 2023/988 makes these necessary where the product cannot be used safely and as intended without them | Complete the risk analysis and add clear information where the product and risk require it |
| Tolerance treatment | Article 20’s 2% and 5% rules are conditional extraneous-fibre rules, while its 3% rule compares the Article 9 declaration with analysis; cumulative application is restricted | Record the technical basis for any extraneous fibres, check the Article 8(3) wool limit where relevant, and compare the label with analysis |
| Origin statement, if used | Article 24 examines a possible origin-labelling scheme and the Parliament and Council statement addresses origin indications | Keep the origin claim separate from the fibre declaration and assess it under the rules applicable to the claim |
How should a Finland label be released before bulk?
Release the Finland-market label variant after the bill of materials, component weights and destination-market language artwork are signed off. The product-safety file should be completed against the actual finished garment and the risks it presents, rather than copied from a similar past style.
| Approval stage | What to lock | Check on the physical garment |
|---|---|---|
| Composition review | Final fibre names and percentages | Label matches the approved bill of materials |
| Language review | Fibre wording for the Member State of sale | Official language or languages confirmed, unless that Member State provides otherwise |
| Safety-information review | Risk assessment and any required instructions | Information is clear, in the required consumer language, and matches the product risk |
| Bulk inspection | Sealed artwork revision | Correct Finland variant on the correct style and colourway |
The tech pack should name the Finland label version, identify its textile components and record the risk assessment and any safety information that accompanies the product.
Short FAQ
What care or safety information accompanies a Finnish apparel product?
Article 24 of Regulation 1007/2011 considers a possible future harmonised care-labelling system. Separately, use, maintenance and care instructions must be supplied where they are necessary for normal use. They must be readily available in Finnish and Swedish, except that generally recognised markings, including garment washing instructions, may be used. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 also requires clear instructions and safety information where a product cannot be used safely and as intended without them. [2] [7]
What does the textile Regulation say about country-of-origin information?
Article 24 considers a possible origin-labelling scheme intended to provide accurate country-of-origin information and additional information ensuring full traceability of textile products. The European Parliament and Council statement accompanying the Regulation also addresses products marked with an indication of origin and possible labelling requirements to improve traceability. [1]
How should the fibre declaration be presented?
Use the fibre names and composition descriptions required by Regulation 1007/2011. They must be easily legible, visible and clear, in print uniform in size, style and font, and visible to the consumer before purchase. The declaration must be in the official language or languages of the Member State where the products are made available to consumers, unless that Member State provides otherwise. [2]
What can market-surveillance authorities do?
Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 requires Member States to confer market-surveillance, investigation and enforcement powers on their authorities for the Regulation and applicable Union harmonisation legislation. The authorities may require relevant information, documents and explanations, obtain samples and impose penalties in accordance with the powers and procedures applicable to them. Regulation 1007/2011 provides for conformity checks of fibre composition against the information supplied for the product. [9]
What safety work is needed for children's clothing cords?
The supplied instruments establish a general product-safety framework rather than a cord-specific approval route. Before placing a product on the market, the manufacturer must carry out an internal risk analysis and prepare technical documentation. Where appropriate to the possible risks, that documentation includes the risk analysis, measures to eliminate or mitigate risk, and relevant standards or test reports used to meet the general safety requirement. [8]
How the EU textile and product-safety rules work together
Regulation 1007/2011 deals with textile fibre names, fibre composition and related labels and markings. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 deals with the general safety of consumer products, including a manufacturer's risk analysis, technical documentation, product identification and instructions and safety information where needed. Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 establishes market-surveillance and enforcement arrangements for products covered by Union harmonisation legislation. These are related compliance subjects, but the product-identification and economic-operator rules should not be presented as a textile-fibre-label traceability requirement under Regulation 1007/2011. [10]
The Finland label judgement
A Finland-bound garment needs the EU fibre declaration prepared under Regulation 1007/2011, in Finnish and Swedish. Treat necessary use, maintenance and care instructions separately from the fibre declaration: they must be readily available, but need not appear on the same label, and generally recognised garment-washing symbols may be used. Product-safety information is a separate question that depends on whether the garment can be used safely and as intended without instructions and safety information. Keep the fibre-composition file, the component assessment and the product-risk assessment together before production is committed. [6] [7]
Building the Finland label into the production file
Send the tech pack, the Finland-bound quantity by style and colour, and the fabric, components and finish once they are set. The production file should distinguish the fibre declaration from product identification and any instructions or safety information required by the product risk assessment. For the shared fibre-labelling baseline Finland sits inside, see the European Union import guide. For a programme built to your own label from tech pack through to bulk, private label manufacturing covers labels, care labels and hang tags prepared to your artwork.
Ready to source with confidence?
Send a brief and we'll reply within 24 hours, with a first sample in 4 to 10 days.
Get in Touch→