中文Fading? Cracking? Or is there a smell? Actually, what’s even more terrifying than these are invisible things – excessive formaldehyde, heavy metal residues, and harmful chemicals.
Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation approved and released the mandatory national standard titled “Technical Specifications for the Safety of Leather and Fur Products”. Although the name sounds very professional, it is closely related to every leather product you wear.
In simple terms: The safety threshold for buying leather clothing and shoes will be higher in the future.
The old standard has “retired” and the new standard has “come online”. The newly released national standard will replace the current GB 20400-2006. You’re right, that standard has been in use for almost 20 years.
What does 20 years mean? Back then, Nokia was the dominant force, online shopping was not yet widespread, and the craftsmanship, materials, and testing techniques in the leather industry were vastly different from what they are today. Many indicators in the old standards have already fallen behind the current production and consumption demands.
The revision of the new standard has incorporated a significant amount of new technical content. Although not all details have been disclosed, according to the information in the draft submitted for approval, there will be notable changes in at least the following aspects: Stricter limits on harmful substances: The limit requirements for traditional harmful substances such as formaldehyde, azo dyes (decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amines), and hexavalent chromium are likely to be tightened.
Broader coverage: It may increase the regulation of new harmful chemicals (such as certain flame retardants and perfluorinated compounds).
More advanced detection methods: Employing more precise detection technology, leaving no escape for “the fish that slipped through the net”.
In a nutshell: The new standards make it harder for “toxic leather clothing” and “toxic leather shoes” to enter the market.
Why change now?
There are two reasons: firstly, the industry has changed, and secondly, consumers have woken up.
Let’s first look at the industry. Twenty years ago, China’s leather industry was still in the stage of “quantity over quality”. Now, China has become the world’s largest leather producer and consumer. To export products, they must meet the stringent standards of the European Union and the United States. If domestic standards do not upgrade, even our own people will feel that they are “not enough”.
Looking at consumers again, young people nowadays when buying leather clothing, not only ask “does it look good”, but also inquire about “does it have any smell” and “will it cause allergies”. People’s concern for “safety” and “environmental protection” has surpassed “price” and “style”.
This upgrade of the new national standard is not only a “mandatory physical examination” for the industry, but also a direct response to consumers’ concerns.
What impact will the new standard bring?
It provides an invisible layer of protection for consumers.
After the implementation of the new national standard, leather and fur products sold through formal channels will have enhanced safety guarantees. The probability of formaldehyde exceeding the standard in the leather clothing you purchase will be lower, making it more reassuring to wear against your skin.
It may bring short-term pressure to formal enterprises, but it is beneficial in the long run.
Meeting the new standards requires upgrading processes, replacing materials, and strengthening inspections, which will inevitably lead to an increase in short-term costs. However, those “small workshops” that have been cutting corners and using inferior chemicals will be accelerated out of the market. The good will drive out the bad, which is beneficial to the long-term health of the industry.
Regulatory authorities have laws to follow, and law enforcement is stricter.
Mandatory national standards serve as the “bottom line”. Previously, law enforcement in some regions lacked a clear basis. With the introduction of new standards, market supervision departments now have a clearer yardstick for spot checks and penalties.
What will happen next?
According to the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Leather Industry, the next step will be to effectively publicize and interpret the standards.
It is expected that the National Standardization Administration will release the full text of the standard in the near future. Prior to that, relevant enterprises can learn about specific technical changes through the publication of the draft for approval, and make preparations in advance.
For ordinary consumers, after the new standard is officially implemented, you may see the new “safety technical specification” number on the labels of leather clothing and bags. At that time, recognizing this new number will be the first guarantee for purchasing safe products.
05 A quote from a veteran in the leather industry goes: “Good leather is alive. It needs to breathe and be treated well.”
The introduction of the new national standards aims to utilize systems to “favor” genuinely good products and employ standards to “eliminate” inferior products that may pose harm.
It won’t make the leather jacket you buy cheaper, but it will give you peace of mind when wearing it.
This is probably the significance of “mandatory national standards” – they are not icing on the cake, but rather setting the bottom line.
We will provide a more detailed interpretation after the full text of the standard is published.
