Italy Apparel Labelling: Italian-Language Rules, Leather Terms and 'Made in Italy'

For a garment sold to a consumer in Italy, fibre composition follows Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, the same generic names and percentages used across the bloc. Italy's own additions sit on top of that baseline, not inside it: a national sanctioning regime for breaches of the EU rule, a legal restriction on the words "Made in Italy," and a separate decree controlling the words "cuoio," "pelle" and "pelliccia" (leather, hide and fur). ^{[1] [2]}

None of these three is a fibre-labelling requirement in the EU sense. Two are enforcement and terminology controls, and the third, "Made in Italy," is a defined legal claim, not a marketing phrase, restricted to products that meet a specific processing test. Treat fibre composition, language, origin and material claims as separate compliance checks; the Regulation does not create separate approval steps. For the shared groundwork, see our garment labelling guide.

What must appear on an apparel label sold in Italy?

For a multi-fibre textile product, Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 Article 9(1) requires the name and percentage by weight of all constituent fibres, in descending order, using only the fibre names set out in the Regulation's 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 be shown as “other fibres” with their combined percentage where they cannot easily be stated at the time of manufacture. Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 Article 9(5) separately permits fibres not yet listed in the annex to be designated “other fibres”, immediately preceded or followed by their total percentage by weight. Where sections of a garment differ in composition, each section is declared separately. Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 Article 11 turns that off only where both of its conditions hold: the component is not a main lining and it represents less than 30% of the product's total weight. A main lining is declared whatever its weight. A non-main textile component is exempt only where it represents less than 30% of the product's total weight. ^[1]

For fibre-composition labelling, Article 16 requires the official language or languages of the Member State where the product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. Origin and leather-family claims should be assessed separately from the fibre declaration. ^[3]

Label field	Italian requirement	Production record to use
Fibre content	Generic names and percentages per Regulation (EU) 1007/2011	Final fabric and component specification
Language	Italian fibre-composition description for products made available to consumers in Italy, unless Italy provides otherwise	Final Italian-language artwork
"Made in Italy" claim, if used	Restricted to products meeting Legge 55/2010's processing test	Verified processing-phase records
"Cuoio," "pelle," "pelliccia" and similar terms, if used	Restricted per D.Lgs. 68/2020 to genuine leather, hide and fur	Confirmed material specification
Non-textile animal-origin parts	Declared per Reg. 1007/2011 Art. 12(1)	Component and trim specification

Assess an origin or material claim separately from the fibre declaration, using the relevant material or process information. These are compliance checks, not approval steps.

How does Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 address care instructions and origin marks?

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 governs fibre composition. Article 24 provides for a report on possible new labelling requirements, including a possible origin-labelling scheme and a harmonised care-labelling system. The Regulation also records a Parliament and Council statement on accurate information where products carry an indication of origin. It does not impose a country-of-origin mark or create an origin-marking trigger when an origin claim is made. A separate Italian question sits alongside this, covered next: whether the words "Made in Italy" specifically may be used. ^[1]

What does "Made in Italy" require?

Legge 8 aprile 2010, n. 55, Article 1, permits the words "Made in Italy" only where processing occurred mainly on Italian territory and at least two of the sector's defined processing phases took place there, with the remaining phases traceable. For textiles that means phases such as spinning, weaving, finishing and making-up; for leather goods and footwear the law sets its own phase lists. A product that does not meet this test simply cannot use the words "Made in Italy". Law 55 stops the claim; it does not itself impose a replacement origin mark. Whether any origin marking is required then falls to whatever other rules apply to the product, which Law 55 preserves rather than creates. ^[2]

The same law also directs the government to set up a mandatory traceability-labelling system showing the origin of each processing phase. The interministerial decree that Article 2 required was never adopted, so the system Law 55/2010 describes has no operative effect. The law remains formally on the books, and fibre-composition labelling for an Italy-bound garment is governed by Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011. A "100% Made in Italy" traceability label exists as a voluntary certification used in practice. The law's text establishes the narrower point: the restriction on using the words "Made in Italy" themselves, and the penalties in Article 3, took effect from 1 October 2010.

What do the leather and fur terminology rules restrict?

Decreto Legislativo 9 giugno 2020, n. 68, defines and restricts the words "cuoio" (leather), "pelle" (hide/skin) and "pelliccia" (fur), along with related terms such as "cuoio pieno fiore" and "rigenerato di fibre di cuoio," in the labelling and marking of materials and manufactured articles. The decree does not apply to footwear materials, which sit under a separate EU directive. Stock made or imported before 24 October 2020 could still be sold through to 24 October 2022 under a transitional rule that has since expired. ^[4]

The practical effect for an apparel programme: a synthetic trim, a faux-fur trim or a bonded material cannot be described with these words on an Italian label. Where the trade description uses "leather-look," "vegan leather" or a similar qualified term, keep that qualifier as prominent as the base word, and confirm the wording against the current decree text before it is printed.

Is Italian-language labelling mandatory?

For the fibre-composition descriptions covered by Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, Article 16 requires the official language or languages of the Member State where the product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. For Italy, use Italian for those descriptions unless Italy provides otherwise. ^[3]

Copy on the label	Italian treatment	Artwork control
100% Cotone	Fibre-composition description in Italian	Use the fibre names set by Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, rendered in Italian
"Made in Italy," if used	Assess separately from the fibre-composition declaration	Check the applicable processing information before printing
"Pelle," "cuoio," "pelliccia," if used	Assess separately from the fibre-composition declaration	Check the applicable material information before printing
Care instructions, where given	Separate from the fibre-composition declaration	Keep the wording aligned with the product information supplied

Where does an English-only EU label fall short in Italy?

An apparel label built to the EU fibre baseline in English, and assumed to travel unchanged into Italy, does not meet the Article 16 language rule for fibre-composition descriptions unless Italy provides otherwise. Origin and material claims are separate checks from the fibre declaration, including any use of "Made in Italy" or a leather-family term.

English-only EU label	Why it falls short in Italy	Italy-specific action
Fibre content in English, correct composition	Unless Italy provides otherwise, the fibre-composition description is not in the official language used for Italy	Use Italian for the fibre-composition description
"Made in Italy" printed as a marketing phrase	It is separate from the fibre declaration	Assess use of the phrase against the applicable processing information
"Leather" trim on a synthetic material	Restricted term under D.Lgs. 68/2020 in its Italian form	Use an accurate material description, qualified consistently
No origin mark at all	Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 does not impose a country-of-origin mark	Assess any origin claim separately under the applicable rules

How should an Italy label be released before bulk?

Use the final bill of materials to check that the fibre-composition description matches the finished garment. Where an origin or material claim is used, assess it separately against the applicable process or material information. The tech pack can identify the Italy label variant and the relevant claims as an internal control; the supplied instruments do not require a separate sign-off.

Control stage	What to lock	Check on the physical garment
Composition review	Final fibre names and percentages	Label matches the approved bill of materials
Language check	Italian fibre-composition description	Matches the final Italian-language artwork
Claim check	"Made in Italy" or leather-family terms, if used	Assessed against the applicable processing or material information
Bulk inspection	Sealed artwork revision	Correct Italy variant on the correct style and colourway

The tech pack can name the Italy label version and flag any style carrying a "Made in Italy" or leather-family claim as an internal control. The supplied instruments do not require a separate sign-off.

Short FAQ

Is care labelling mandatory on an Italian apparel label?

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 sets fibre-composition requirements. Article 24 provides for consideration of a possible harmonised care-labelling system, so care content should be treated separately from the fibre declaration. ^[1]

Can "Made in Italy" be used on a garment cut and sewn outside Italy?

Legge 55/2010 restricts the phrase to products where processing occurred mainly in Italy and at least two defined phases took place there, with the rest traceable. Assess any other origin claim separately under the applicable rules. ^[2]

Can a synthetic trim be labelled "vegan leather" in Italy?

The 2020 decree restricts "pelle," "cuoio" and "pelliccia" and close variants to genuine material. We prepare qualified material wording with the qualifier clearly attached and aligned with your approved material specification. ^[4]

Is a country-of-origin mark required on every Italian garment label?

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 does not impose a country-of-origin mark. It also does not create an origin-marking trigger when an origin claim, including "Made in Italy," is made; assess origin claims separately under the applicable rules. ^[1]

The Italy label judgement

An Italy-bound textile product is subject to the same Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 fibre-composition framework as textile products made available on the Union market. Confirm fibre-composition information and assess language, origin and material claims separately as compliance checks; the supplied instruments do not require a separate approval. ^[1]

Where an Italy order fits the wider EU programme

Italy sits inside the same fibre-labelling baseline as the rest of the European Union. A buyer running the same collection into Italy and other EU destinations can build one composition file, prepare the Italian-language fibre-composition artwork, and assess origin or material claims separately as compliance checks. Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 does not create separate approval steps.