The Textile Products (Indications of Fibre Content) Regulations 1986

5.—(1) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, any person who in the course of a trade or business supplies or offers to supply in the United Kingdom textile products without complying in relation to that supply or offer with the relevant requirements of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) In the case of any supply of, or any offer to supply, textile products by retail, otherwise than where the supply or offer is made to a government department or local authority, or to any other person who is established by a public general Act of Parliament, an indication of the fibre content of the textile products shall be given by one or more of the following methods, that is to say, by marking or labelling the products or where the products are supplied or offered for supply in packing by marking or labelling the packing:

Provided that in the case of undifferentiated goods (not being goods included in Item 12 of Schedule 5 which are supplied in cut lengths) it shall be sufficient compliance with this Regulation if the requirements are complied with while the goods are offered for supply; and in the case of goods included in Item 12 of Schedule 5 which are supplied in cut lengths the indication of fibre content shall be given by labelling the reel on which the goods are supplied or offered for supply. For the purposes of this proviso,

“undifferentiated goods” are textile products of which any part indistinguishable from any other part may be supplied by physically detaching it from the whole in such a quantity as may be specified by the person to whom it is supplied.

(3) In the case of any supply of, or any offer to supply, textile products other than one to which the requirements contained in paragraph (2) above apply an indication of the fibre content of the textile products shall be given by one or more of the following methods, that is to say, by marking or labelling the products or, where the products are supplied or offered for supply in packing, by marking or labelling the packing or in commercial documents accompanying the products.

(4) Where a textile product consists of two or more components which have different fibre contents the fibre content of each component shall be indicated:

Provided that this paragraph shall not apply in relation to a component which accounts for less than 30 per cent. of the weight of the product, unless that component is a main lining.

(5) Where there are two or more textile products which have the same fibre content and normally form a single unit the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by a single indication of fibre content.

(6) Where a textile product is a brassiere, corset, corselet or other article of corsetry, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by a single indication of the fibre content of the whole product or—

(a) in the case of a brassiere, by separate indications of the fibre content of each of or by a comprehensive indication of the fibre content of all of the following components, namely, the outside and inside fabric of the cups and back; or

(b) in the case of a corset, by separate indications of the fibre content of each of or by a comprehensive indication of the fibre content of all of the following components, namely, the front, rear and side stiffening panels; or

(c) in the case of a corselet, by separate indications of the fibre content of each of or by a comprehensive indication of the fibre content of all of the following components, namely, the outside and inside fabric of the cups, the front and rear stiffening panels and the side panels; or

(d) in the case of any other article of corsetry, by separate indications of the fibre content of each of or by a comprehensive indication of the fibre content of all of the components of the article:

provided that such an indication shall not be compulsory in respect of any component which accounts for less than 10 per cent. of the weight of the product.

(7) Where a textile product includes any etch-printed fabric, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by separate indications of the fibre content of the base fabric and of the etched parts, in which case, those components shall be mentioned by name.

(8) Where a textile product includes any embroidered fabric, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by separate indications of the fibre content of the base fabric and of the embroidery yarns, in which case, those components shall be mentioned by name:

Provided that where the embroidered parts do not exceed 10 per cent. of the surface area of the product, an indication of the fibre content of the embroidery yarns is not required.

(9) Where a textile product includes any velvet or plush fabric or any fabric resembling velvet or plush and the backing of that fabric is distinct from and does not have the same fibre content as the use-surface, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by separate indications of the fibre content of the backing and of the use-surface, in which case, those components shall be mentioned by name.

(10) Where a textile product is a floor-covering or carpet and the backing does not have the same textile fibre content as the use-surface, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by a single indication of fibre content of the use-surface, which shall be mentioned by name.

(11) Where a textile product is a yarn which—

(a) has a core and a cover which do not have the same fibre content; and

(b) is supplied or offered for supply as yarn,

the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may be given by separate indications of the fibre content of the core and of the cover.

(12) In relation to textile products offered for supply or supplied together and specified in Schedule 5, the indication of fibre content required by this Regulation may relate to a number of such products if they are of the same type and composition and if that indication is easily accessible to the person to whom the supply is being made.