EU Testing Finds Fibre Composition Labels Inconsistent with Products in 37% of Garments Tested
According to the results announced on 18 June 2026 by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), the labels of 49 of the 132 garments tested (37%) in an EU-wide inspection campaign did not correctly reflect the materials used in the products. The testing was carried out as part of the JACOP (Joint Actions on Compliance of Products) 2025 inspection campaign, which covered 11 product categories.
In the campaign, market surveillance authorities in Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, and Portugal purchased 104 items from shops and 28 through online channels; the testing was performed at an accredited laboratory in Italy. Three main types of non-compliance were identified: the fibres were correctly declared but the percentages did not match the actual values, different and cheaper fibres than those declared were used in the products, and the fibres were incorrectly declared or named.
By category, the highest non-compliance rates were found in scarves (80%), tops (54%), and baby clothing (25%). By fibre type, non-compliance was highest, at 64%, in products declared as blends of natural and artificial fibres; the rate was recorded at 46% for online purchases and 36% for items bought in physical stores. Market surveillance authorities emphasised that these non-compliances pose economic risks for consumers, lead to unfair competition, and make recycling more difficult, as it requires accurate fibre identification.
As a result of the inspection, the sales of 18 products were ordered to be stopped; a total of 41 products were registered in ICSMS, the EU’s information-sharing platform for market surveillance. Noting that the high non-compliance rate suggests that mislabelling is widespread, the Commission highlighted the importance of continued testing and of raising the industry’s awareness of its labelling obligations.
