Netherlands Apparel Labelling: The Warenwet Route to the EU Fibre Rule

For a garment sold to a consumer in the Netherlands, fibre composition follows Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, using the generic names and percentages set out in the Regulation. The practical label work starts with the product's fibre composition, the correct fibre names and the language required for the Member State where the garment is made available to the consumer. ^{[1] [2]}

For Netherlands orders, we prepare controlled fibre-label artwork from the final bill of materials and keep that artwork under the same version control as any other EU-market label built from the same bill of materials. The practical work is confirming the fibre file against the Regulation, checking the physical label or marking, and preparing the language version needed for the market. For the shared groundwork, see our garment labelling guide.

What must appear on an apparel label sold in the Netherlands?

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 requires the name and percentage by weight of all constituent fibres, in descending order, using only the fibre names 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 Annex I to be designated “other fibres”, immediately preceded or followed by their total percentage by weight. Where a garment has textile components with different fibre contents, the fibre content of each component must be stated, unless the component is not a main lining and represents less than 30% of the product's total weight. ^[1]

The fibre-composition label or marking must be durable, easily legible, visible and accessible on the textile product. Where a label is used, it must be securely attached. The Regulation also requires the labelling or marking to be in the official language or languages of the Member State where the textile product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. ^[3]

Label field	Dutch requirement	Production record to use
Fibre content	Generic names and percentages per Regulation (EU) 1007/2011	Final fabric and component specification
Language	The official language or languages of the Member State where the textile product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise	Approved language-version artwork
Non-textile animal-origin parts	Where present, indicate their presence using the phrase required by Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 Art. 12(1)	Component and trim specification
Labelling responsibility	The manufacturer must supply the label or marking and ensure its accuracy; where the manufacturer is not established in the Union, the importer has that responsibility	Legal entity and supply-chain record
Attachment	Fibre composition on a durable, easily legible, visible and accessible label or marking on the textile product; a label must be securely attached	Label-placement page and sewn sample

For an apparel label, keep the fibre-composition record with the approved artwork. This makes it possible to check that the physical garment carries the same information as the final specification and that the label remains legible and attached through production handling.

What does the Regulation say about care and origin labels?

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 governs fibre composition. It does not set a voluntary-origin-claim test; Article 24 instead requires the Commission to examine a possible origin-labelling scheme, alongside possible new labelling requirements including a harmonised care-labelling system. The Regulation does not itself impose an origin-marking requirement. A 100% claim is reserved by Article 7 for a textile product exclusively composed of the stated fibre. That rule is applied after the Article 10 exclusions and the Article 19(2) and Annex VII calculation exclusions have been taken into account. Article 7 also treats specified quantities of technically unavoidable, non-routinely added extraneous fibres as exclusively composed in the circumstances it sets out. Keep origin wording, care content and fibre claims tied to the approved product and sourcing record before release. ^[1]

How does the language requirement work?

Article 16 requires the labelling or marking to be provided in the official language or languages of the Member State where the textile product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. It also requires fibre-composition descriptions in catalogues, trade literature, packaging, labels and markings to be easily legible, visible and clear, with uniform print as to size, style and font. We hand over the language-version artwork, composition evidence, version history and shipment-ready compliance file for your team’s release process. ^[2]

For a production file, the language check belongs alongside the composition check. The fibre-composition description must be clearly visible to the consumer before purchase, including where the purchase is electronic. Keep the final composition record, the language-version artwork and the finished-garment inspection together so that the document and the physical label can be checked as one release item.

Copy on the label	Dutch treatment	Artwork control
100% Katoen	Reserved for a product exclusively composed of the stated fibre after the Article 10 and Article 19(2)/Annex VII exclusions have been applied; Article 7 contains separate limited treatment for specified technically unavoidable extraneous fibres	Use the fibre names set by Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 and the relevant official language version
Non-textile animal-origin indication	Where those parts are present, use the phrase required by Article 12	Confirm the component and trim specification
Fibre label or marking	Durable, easily legible, visible and accessible; securely attached where a label is used	Check the finished garment and approved artwork
Brand, undertaking name and size copy	Size information and other information must be displayed separately from the fibre-composition description. Trade marks and undertaking names may appear immediately before or after it, and must do so where they contain, or are liable to be confused with, a fibre name in Annex I	Commercial brief

Is there a mandatory Dutch garment-sizing standard?

We develop the size label from your grading, fit sample and retailer size chart, and show the selected size system in the approved artwork. We translate your chosen body measurements and size nomenclature into the grade rules, label artwork and production specification, then confirm them against the approved sample. Where a Dutch retailer's own commercial specification calls for a particular size system, that is a buyer requirement to confirm at order, not a legal one to research further.

Does the Netherlands have its own rule on children's clothing cords?

We review each children's style for cord and drawstring risk, record the age grade and construction details, and build the approved controls into the tech pack. We build children's styles to EN 14682 cord and drawstring rules where your programme calls for it, and to your own construction brief where it does not. A children's range for the Dutch market is covered by the same standard used for the rest of the bloc, and there is no additional Dutch age threshold or attachment test to design against beyond that harmonised route.

Where can an English-only EU label fall short in the Netherlands?

The Regulation requires labelling or marking to be provided in the official language or languages of the Member State where the textile product is made available to the consumer, unless that Member State provides otherwise. An English-only label may therefore be deficient for more than fibre-composition wording where other mandatory label information applies.

English-only EU label	Why it falls short in the Netherlands	Netherlands-specific action
Fibre content in English, correct composition	The labelling or marking must be provided in the relevant official language or languages unless the Member State provides otherwise	Prepare the relevant language version before sale
Non-textile animal-origin phrase in English only	Article 12 requires the prescribed animal-origin indication where those parts are present	Use the phrase required by Article 12; the English text does not specify a required Dutch rendering
Fibre label or marking on the product	It must be durable, easily legible, visible and accessible; a label must be securely attached	Inspect the finished garment and attachment
Physical label check	Fibre composition must appear on a label or marking on the textile product	Check presence, durability, legibility, visibility and accessibility

How should a Netherlands label be released before bulk?

Release the language version and fibre label once the bill of materials is final, because a late fibre-percentage change affects the composition description, the artwork and the physical-garment check. Confirm the fibre names and percentages, the language version, the animal-origin indication where applicable, and the condition and attachment of the final label before bulk release.

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-composition declaration in the relevant official language or languages	Present, legible, matching the approved artwork
Attachment review	Label or marking on the textile product	Durable, visible and accessible; securely attached where a label is used
Bulk inspection	Sealed artwork revision	Correct Netherlands variant on the correct style and colourway

The tech pack should name the Netherlands label version and the composition record it was built from.

Short FAQ

Is a separate Dutch textile-labelling law required reading, on top of the EU Regulation?

For fibre-label content, use Regulation (EU) 1007/2011. It sets the fibre names and composition descriptions, requires the label or marking to be supplied and accurate, and specifies the condition and language requirements for the label or marking. ^[2]

What does the Regulation provide on care labelling?

Article 24 requires the Commission to examine possible new labelling requirements, including a harmonised care-labelling system. Keep any care content in the approved artwork and product record alongside the fibre-composition label. ^[1]

Does the Dutch Warenwetbesluit apply only to garments?

This guide concerns garments. For a garment made available on the market, Article 14 requires a label or marking that indicates fibre composition and meets the durability, legibility, visibility and accessibility requirements. ^[2]

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

Article 24 requires the Commission to examine a possible origin-labelling scheme. Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 does not itself impose an origin-marking requirement. Where a textile product contains non-textile parts of animal origin, its label or marking must indicate that presence using the phrase required by Article 12; the English text does not specify a required Dutch rendering. ^[1]

What can the NVWA do if a Dutch label is wrong?

The NVWA states it can take measures where label information is incorrect. Market-surveillance measures can require correction of the non-compliance, restrict or prohibit the product's availability, or require its withdrawal or recall, as appropriate to the case. Article 26 separately requires suspension of release for free circulation where its customs-control conditions are met, including where a product is not labelled in accordance with applicable Union law. A customs hold is therefore one possible consequence, alongside corrective and market-restriction measures. ^[3]

The Netherlands label judgement

A Netherlands-bound garment label needs fibre composition under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, in the relevant official language or languages unless the Member State provides otherwise. State the fibre content of each textile component with a different fibre content, except where it is not a main lining and represents less than 30% of the product's total weight. Where a textile product contains non-textile parts of animal origin, include the phrase required by Article 12. Confirm the fibre file, the language version, the physical label condition and its attachment before bulk release.

Where a Netherlands order fits the wider EU programme

The Netherlands uses the European Union fibre-labelling baseline, with the relevant official language or languages applying where the textile product is made available to the consumer unless the Member State provides otherwise. A buyer placing the same collection into the Netherlands and elsewhere in the bloc can retain a shared composition record while maintaining the appropriate language version and physical label check for each market.