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EU: SVHC triggers concerns of cyclic siloxanes in textile products

july 2018- Relevant for: softlines, toy's and children's products

On 27 June 2018, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identified¹ 10 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to REACH Candidate List. Three of them are cyclic siloxanes (D4, D5 and D6) which are mainly used in cosmetics and personal care products². Moreover, the European Commission published restriction of D4 and D5 under REACH Annex XVII Entry 70 (Regulation (EU) 2018/35)³ on wash-off cosmetic products which will apply from 2020. However, there has been some discussion among textiles industry as cyclic siloxanes may be used for the preparation of silicones.Silicones which might be contaminated with cyclic siloxanes are used within textile auxiliaries e.g. softeners, dyeing wetting agents, finishing agents for yarns and sizing additives, etc. After consulting German chemical industry representatives, it is almost unlikely to have textile articles containing cyclic siloxanes over 0.1% by weight.However, cyclic siloxanes have another use in the production of silicone polymers. These substances may be found as residues in silicone polymers, coatings and prints exceeding 0.1% by weight, for example, socks with anti-slippery dots and silicone transparent bra straps. To meet the requirement of Candidate List, it would be the best to check the ingredients used for production and perform spot checks.

[1] ECHA's Press release of Candidate List updates

[2] EU REACH Candidate List expands to 191 SVHCs

[3] Regulation EU 2018/35