South America: Updates to marking requirements for footwear and leather goods

 

The Andean Community (comprised of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) has announced updated to the Andean Technical Regulation on the labelling of footwear, leather goods, travel goods and similar items (approved under Andean Community Resolution No. 2107 (Reglamento  Técnico  Andino  para  el  Etiquetado  de  calzado,  productos  de  marroquinería, artículos  de  viaje  y  similares).

The changes affect the Annex 2 of the Regulation where pictogrammes and textual references are defined.  The following four referneces are getting rephrased now: CUERO O PIEL, CUERO UNTADO O RECUBIERTO, MATERIAL TEXTIL, OTROS MATERIALES.

The Regulation basically delineates the prerequisites governing the display of labeling details and safety specifications to thwart any practices that could potentially mislead consumers or users regarding the merchandise retailed within the Andean Community.

The obligatory labeling particulars must be permanent, easily readable, conspicuous, and conveniently accessible to consumers and can be exhibited on one or multiple labels. These details must be conveyed in Spanish, although additional languages, expressions, abbreviations, symbols, or pictograms are permissible. Any supplementary or specialized information provided to consumers or users should not obscure or distort the essential information required. Labels cannot be rectified by overlaying necessary information onto the original label.

The label content must encompass, at a minimum, the following specifics:

• Predominant materials constituting the product,
• Identification of the Manufacturer or Importer,
• Size (applicable only to footwear), and
• Country of origin or manufacture.

For indicating the country of origin, phrases such as “Hecho en…”, “Fabricado en…”, “Elaborado en…”, or similar expressions may be utilized. The predominant materials will be ascertained, excluding accessories or purely decorative elements such as trims, ornaments, buckles, eyelet rings, or similar items.

Footwear labels should furnish details about the predominant materials for the following essential parts of the footwear:

• The upper,
• The lining,
• The insole (only materials on the insole surface in contact with the foot shall be disclosed),
• The sole.

Information regarding the predominant material of footwear pertains to that which constitutes at least 80% of the surface area of the upper, lining, and insole, and at least 80% of the volume of the sole of the footwear. If no material represents at least this value, details about the two main materials composing each part of the footwear should be provided, giving priority to the predominant or most involved material.

Labels on leather goods, travel items, and similar products must include content information about the predominant materials concerning the following fundamental parts of the leather goods:

• Shell
• Lining (If the item is unlined, indicate “unlined”).

Information about the predominant material of the leather goods pertains to that which constitutes at least 80% of the surface area of each part of the product. If no material represents at least this value, information about the two main materials constituting each part should be provided, with priority given to the predominant or most involved material.

As per the Technical Regulation, the manufacturer or importer identification and the size may be presented on permanent or non-permanent labels. Predominant materials and country of origin must be displayed on permanent labels. In cases where it is not feasible for all information to be presented through stamping, sewing, stencil, print, or engraving, the required information can be provided on a non-permanent label.

For products marketed in “sets” or “kits” composed of 2 or more pieces, each article must be individually labeled, even if they share the same material composition. For footwear manufactured from the same material and design, label information must be presented on at least one piece of the pair, excluding size, which must be presented on both pieces.

To find out more about regulatory requirements for leather products and footwear, please contact the Product Compliance Institute directly.