The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has established a common safety standard for all products designed for children. According to the legislation, infant and children’s textile and leather products are regulated under the Special Act on Safety Management of Children’s Products by Enactment of the Common Safety Standards of Children’s Products, Safety Confirmation Act and Suppliers’ Declaration of Conformity Act. The new regulation will become effective after 4th June 2016.
(C) Safety Quality Mark Act
Apart from infant and children’s products, textile and leather products designated for ages over 13 years old are regulated under the Quality Management and Safety Control of Industrial Products Act – Safety Quality Mark Act Annex 1 (Household Textile Products) and Annex 3 (Leather Products). Manufacturer or importer shall confirm the satisfaction by self-test or test conducted by a third party service provider (ISO 17025 accredited labs) for existence of any hazardous substances. Inspection agency shall verify the standard compliance according to Safety Quality Mark Act.
Product scope for textile and leather products includes innerwear and midwear with direct skin contact, outerwear without direct skin contact and bedding.
Table 4 – Requirements Summary for Safety Quality Mark Act – Annex 1 – Household Textile Products
ITEMS | REQUIREMENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Innerwear (direct skin contact) | Midwear (direct skin contact) | Outerwear (indirect skin contact) | Bedding | |
Formaldehyde | 75 mg/kg | 300 mg/kg | ||
pH Value | 4.0 – 7.5 | 4.0 – 9.0 | ||
Azo Dyes (24 items) | 30 mg/kg (each) | |||
Organotin - Tributyltin (TBT) | 1.0 mg/kg | |||
Dimethylfumarate (DMFu) | 0.1 mg/kg | |||
Nickel Release (Prolong skin contact only) | 0.5 µg/cm2/week | |||
Flame Retardants (TDBPP, PentaBDE, OctaBDE) | Prohibited | |||
Allergenic Disperse Dyes (22 items) | Prohibited | - | ||
Table 5 – Requirements Summary for Safety Quality Mark Act – Annex 3 – Leather Products
ITEMS | REQUIREMENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Innerwear (direct skin contact) | Midwear (direct skin contact) | Outerwear (indirect skin contact) | Bedding and Other products | |
Formaldehyde | 75 mg/kg | 300 mg/kg | ||
Chlorinated Phenols (PCP) | 5.0 mg/kg | |||
Chromium (VI) | 3.0 mg/kg | |||
Azo Dyes (24 items) | 30 mg/kg (each) | |||
Dimethylfumarate (DMFu) | 0.1 mg/kg | |||
Organotin - Tributyltin (TBT) | 1.0 mg/kg | |||
Nickel Release (Prolong skin contact only) | 0.5 µg/cm2/week | |||
(D) Safety Quality Labeling Requirement
All textile and leather products imported into Korea should bear the appropriate labels with the “KC mark” and written labeling information in Korean. Name of the manufacturer or product model name may be presented in English, if such information is difficult to be written in Korean. Labels should be permanently attached on the products. The same product sold in a package containing two or more pieces (except top and bottom set of garment) may have labels indicated on the surface of the package. Sewn in label can be exempted on small items, and the information can be indicated on the package, tags or stickers.
Labeling Information for Textile Products | Labeling Information for Leather Products |
|---|---|
|
|
(E) Warning Statement in Safety Quality Labeling (In Korean)
(i) Warning statement against “Small Part” in textile and leather products that may be worn by infants or children (even if passing the Small Part test):
“CAUTION! Small parts will cause choking hazards for babies or children if detached” “주의! 작은 부품이 탈락되면 삼킬 수 있음” |
(ii) For children’s products, if failed in small part, it must be marked on warning labeling:
“Warning! Prohibited use by babies or children below 3 years old” “경고! 36개월 미만 사용금지” |
(iii) Precaution against rust and contact with skin should be indicated if metal accessories have been used:
“Can rust if washed with water” “물 세탁시 녹이 발생할 수 있음” “Skin allergy can occur depending on the composition” “체질에 따라 피부 알러지가 발생할 수 있음” |
(iv) Caution against flame should be indicated if the product may catch fire in case of contact with flames:
“May catch fire in case of contact with flames” “불꽃 접근시 불길이 옮겨 붙을 가능성이 있음” |
(v) Warning statement for “soft or foamed synthetic resin shoes” used by infants or children:
“CAUTION! Shoes may get jammed in escalator” “주의! 신발이 에스컬레이터 등에 낄 수 있음” |
(vi) For children’s products, if over 0.1% of DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP and DNOP, it must be marked on warning labeling:
“Warning! Phthalate could be migrated when placed in the mouth, don’t put in mouth!” “경고! 입에 넣으면 프탈레이트계 가소제가 용출될 수 있으니 입에 넣지 말 것” |
Reference: Safety Quality Mark Act: [1]
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