Fibre percentage label rules look like the easiest part of garment labelling: you take the composition from your fabric supplier and copy it across. In practice this is where most mistakes happen: the wrong order, "100% cotton" on fabric that contains elastane, a forgotten lining, or percentages that don't add up to 100. Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 gives clear rules, and in this article we turn them into a sequence of steps with examples you can use straight away.
Step 1: Get the exact composition by weight
Label percentages are by weight, not by surface area or yarn count. Ask your supplier for the fabric's technical specification. If it only covers the main fabric, check the lining, pocketing, elastic and embroidery separately, as they may differ. Don't rely on a burn test or on feel; when in doubt, get a lab analysis.
Satin label 14 cm x 5 cm - satin print
Woven label 8.5 cm x 7 cm – Gold effect, jacquard
Satin label 6 cm x 3 cm – printing on satin ribbonStep 2: List fibres in descending order
Article 9 requires blended products to list all fibres by name and percentage by weight, in descending order. The largest share goes first.
- Correct: 60% cotton, 37% polyester, 3% elastane
- Wrong: 3% elastane, 37% polyester, 60% cotton
- Wrong: cotton/polyester/elastane (no percentages)
Step 3: Decide whether you can say "100%"
"100%", "pure" or "all" are only allowed for products made exclusively of one fibre (Article 7). There is one allowance: up to 2% extraneous fibres by weight is accepted if technically unavoidable under good manufacturing practice and not added routinely. For carded products the threshold is 5%.
Watch out: fabric that is 97% cotton and 3% elastane is not "100% cotton". The elastane was added on purpose and must be declared.
Step 4: When you can use "other fibres"
The regulation allows the term "other fibres" in a few situations:
- Small amounts that are hard to determine. Fibres making up to 5% each, or up to 15% together, may be grouped as "other fibres" with their total percentage if they are difficult to state at the time of manufacture (Article 9(2)).
- Fibres not yet listed in Annex I. These may be called "other fibres", immediately preceded or followed by their total percentage by weight (Article 9(5)).
- Products whose composition is hard to state. These may use "mixed fibres" or "unspecified textile composition" (Article 9(4)), which is typical of products made from recycled offcuts.
Example: "70% viscose, 25% polyamide, 5% other fibres".
Step 5: Decorative and antistatic fibres
Visible, isolable fibres with a purely decorative effect that do not exceed 7% of the weight of the finished product don't have to be declared (Article 10). The classic example is a fine metallic lurex thread in knitwear. Antistatic fibres up to 2% can also be left out. If you choose to declare a decorative fibre anyway, the ordering rules still apply.
Step 6: Separate components, separate compositions
When a product has two or more textile components with different fibre contents, each is stated separately (Article 11). Components below 30% of the total weight that are not main linings can be omitted.
| Product | How to write the composition |
|---|---|
| Lined blazer | Shell: 70% wool, 30% polyester. Lining: 100% viscose |
| Stretch jeans | 98% cotton, 2% elastane |
| Jumper with 4% lurex | 80% acrylic, 20% wool (lurex may be omitted) |
| Blend T-shirt | 50% cotton, 50% polyester |
| Lingerie with lace | Main fabric: 92% polyamide, 8% elastane. Lace: optional if under 30% |
Corsetry, embroidered textiles and velvet or plush products have special rules in Annex IV of the regulation, allowing the composition of certain parts to be stated separately.
Step 7: Check the 3% tolerance
Article 20 allows a manufacturing tolerance of 3% between the declared composition and the result of analysis, calculated against the total fibre weight. If you declared 60% cotton, a lab result of 58% or 62% is within tolerance. A result of 55% is a problem. The tolerance is there for natural variation in fabric production, not for rounding to convenient numbers.
Tip: don't round to tidy figures. If the specification says 63/34/3, write exactly that rather than "65/35", which wipes out the elastane.
Step 8: Format and language
The composition must be in a uniform font, size and style and clearly separated from other information (Article 16). Use the Annex I names in the language of the country of sale. A fibre trade mark may sit directly next to the legal name, for example "8% elastane (LYCRA®)".
National nuances
The regulation applies directly across the EU, but some countries have historical practices and interpretations of their own, for instance about ordering blends with no dominant fibre. If you export to a specific market, check the current requirements there. The full rules are in Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 on EUR-Lex.
The most common mistakes
- A total of 99% or 101%. This happens when each figure is rounded separately. Adjust the largest fibre so the total is exactly 100.
- Missing elastane. The fabric stretches but the label only says cotton, which shoppers and inspectors notice immediately.
- No lining composition. On jackets and blazers the lining is almost always a main component and must be declared.
- Website and label disagree. The online description must match the label, because buyers see the composition before purchase.
- Trade name instead of fibre. "Tencel" without "lyocell" is not enough on its own.
Quick checklist
- The total is exactly 100%.
- The order is descending.
- "100%" only for a single fibre.
- Lining and main components are listed separately.
- No abbreviations such as CO, PES or EA.
- The text is in the language of the country of sale.
Where to print the composition
A printed satin or polyester label is the best fit for composition: it's soft, holds plenty of text and survives washing. Browse the labels at Bul-tex, including printed satin labels, and our satin ribbons for in-house use. Bul-tex produces labels to your text and size, so send us an enquiry. You'll find more practical advice in our label articles.
