On October 10, Entry 79 of REACH Annex XVII became applicable to textiles, leather, furs and hides used in clothing and accessories for the general public, footwear, food-contact paper and cardboard, certain consumer mixtures and cosmetics.
Products may not be placed on the EU market where the sum of PFHxA and its salts equals or exceeds 25 ppb, or the sum of PFHxA-related substances equals or exceeds 1,000 ppb, measured in homogeneous material. The restriction derives from Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462.
The regulation does not prescribe a specific testing method, and analytical methods continue to evolve. Companies should combine analytical testing with upstream chemical controls and supplier documentation.
Exclusions cover certain risk-category personal protective equipment, medical and in-vitro diagnostic devices and construction textiles. Products already placed on the market before October 10, 2026 are covered by a derogation.
Further stages apply to other textiles from October 10, 2027 and to civil aviation firefighting foams from October 10, 2029. The measure is separate from the broader EU PFAS group restriction still under evaluation.
