Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Restricted and protected materials: UK REACH and CITES for textiles and leather

A reference for makers of textiles, clothing and leather products (SIC divisions 13, 14 and 15) on the two materials-control regimes. It covers UK REACH restrictions on substances in dyes, finishes, leather tanning and inks, and CITES controls on materials from endangered species such as exotic leather, fur, feathers and shell.

Guide summary

Check your dyes, finishes, leather and inks against the UK REACH list of restricted substances. Chromium VI in leather must be below 3 mg/kg. For materials from endangered species like exotic leather, fur, feathers or shells, get a CITES permit from APHA before you import, export or sell. Breaching either rule is a criminal offence.

  • Check dyes, finishes and inks against UK REACH Annex 17 restrictions
  • Ensure chromium VI in leather is below 3 mg/kg (0.0003% by weight)
  • Obtain compliance information from your suppliers
  • Register chemicals over 1 tonne per year with HSE
  • For Northern Ireland, check EU REACH restrictions separately
  • Check if your materials come from endangered species
  • Get a CITES permit from APHA before trading
  • Trading without a CITES permit is a criminal offence
  • For formaldehyde in wood panels, follow COSHH rules in Great Britain
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Two regimes control the materials and chemicals you use to make textiles, clothing and leather products. UK REACH restricts hazardous substances in dyes, finishes, leather and inks. CITES controls the use of materials from endangered species. This reference sets out what each covers and where it applies.

The two regimes have different geographic scope. UK REACH applies in Great Britain; in Northern Ireland, EU REACH applies under the Windsor Framework, so check the NI position separately, as the EU restriction list can differ from the GB one over time. CITES controls apply across the whole United Kingdom.

UK REACH: restricted substances

UK REACH carries the registration and restriction duties for chemicals used in manufacturing. For textiles and leather, the restrictions that bite most often limit chromium VI in leather articles that touch the skin, formaldehyde released from treatments, and named substances in dyes, finishes and printing inks. Restrictions apply to the finished article, so obtain compliance information from your dye, finish, leather and ink suppliers.

CITES: protected materials from endangered species

If you use materials from endangered species — exotic leathers, furs, feathers, shells and certain woods — CITES controls apply. Importing, exporting or commercially using listed specimens needs the appropriate permit or certificate, and trading without the required documentation is a criminal offence. Apply to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), the UK CITES authority, for permits and certificates; Border Force enforces CITES controls at the border. Check your materials against the controlled-species lists before you buy or sell.

How to use this reference

Use UK REACH to check the substances in your dyes, finishes, tanning chemicals and inks against the restriction list, remembering that the EU REACH list applies in Northern Ireland. Use CITES to check whether any material comes from a protected species before you import, export or sell it. For the product-facing labelling and safety rules, see the guide on placing textiles, clothing and footwear on the GB market, and run the sector compliance checklist before any production run.

Official sources

Statutory sources and regulators for restricted and protected materials