Sweden, France want ban on allergenic substances in clothing

STOCKHOLM – Sweden and France are proposing an EU ban on more than a thousand allergenic substances used in items such as clothing and shoes. According to the proposal, legislation should be introduced so that textile and leather items sold to consumers cannot contain these substances at levels above certain content thresholds. “We want to protect all consumers from being affected by skin allergies. These days it is difficult to avoid exposure to allergenic substances that may be present in textiles and leather. Once you have developed a skin allergy, it is a life-long problem,” says Helena Dorfh, a risk manager with the Swedish Chemicals Agency.