CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Canada: Minister’s exemption to the Ontario Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Regulation

october 2018- Relevant for: softlines

On 25 September 2018, the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Ontario, has made exemption to the Ontario Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Regulation 218/01¹ from the restriction of use of recycled down and other feather products used as stuffing in clothing and apparel.

The subsection 9 (1) of the Ontario Regulation 218/01² prohibits use of second-hand materials (such as recycled down and feather) as stuffing in the manufacture of an upholstered or stuffed article or add second-hand material as stuffing in its renovation. Now this minister’s exemption allows to use recycled down and other feather products as stuffing in clothing and apparel. The minister has also exempted clothing and apparel containing recycled down and other feather products as stuffing from labelling requirements in the regulation.

However, such products still need to be registered with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), and recycled down and other feather products will still have to meet the cleanliness standards in section 18 of the regulation, which puts forward the minimum requirements for down and feather cleanliness. Alternative industry standards that are substantially similar to the requirements set out in section 18 of the regulation can be used.

This Minister’s exemption became effective from 25 September 2018.

[1] Minister’s exemption

[2] Ontario Regulation 218/01