WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FRENCH AND ITALIAN REGULATIONS FOR GARMENT PACKAGING IN 2022

January 2022 - France and Italy have sharpened the regulations for the waste-collection marking of products, including packaging, shoes and garments. The regulations aim to reduce landfill waste and increase recycling amongst consumers. It is a turning point in the industry, where awareness becomes an actual law, resulting in painful fines for brands that fail to comply. Is your brand ready?

With sustainable shopping as a high priority for consumers, many brands have already started making changes in their business model, paying more attention to the recycling options for their products and packaging, as sustainability is taking a central role.

Aligned with the general EU Green Deal initiative, both France and Italy want to make sure that brands are more transparent and tell consumers how to recycle the packaging of the garments they purchase. Thus, the two countries have adopted a set of rules that need to be applied by January 2022 and concern all brands shipping products there.

The two initiatives mark a joint act of responsibility that interests every actor in the supply chain. The “Triman” sorting logo is part of the “Sorting signage for household packaging” regulations in France and is called “Signalétique de tri des emballages ménagers”, in French. The “Italian environmental labelling for packaging” regulation is thus called “Etichettatura ambientale obbligatoria degli imballaggi” originally. And both can be hard to implement, without access to trusted sources of information and direction for application.

The two regulations’ implementation date is January 1st, 2022, with a grace period after which brands shipping to France or Italy will need to comply.

Thanks to our in-house team of experts, and with the original source of regulations on hand, Trimco Group can help and guide you through HOW and WHEN to apply the waste collection marking correctly, for both the French Triman signage and Italian regulations. Whether it is your polybags, boxes, banderols, hangtags or e-commerce packaging, shoe boxes, shoe packaging or garment packaging, we can help.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FRENCH REGULATION:

• From January 1st, 2022, the Triman Logo is mandatory on packaging, textiles and shoes, shoe boxes, shoe packaging or garment packaging, more so if they can be recycled.
• The Triman Logo now has a new format that requires sorting advice, which can be described using French text or symbols. The “FR” country code should be utilized together with the Triman Logo if the product is sent to other French-speaking markets as well.
• Packaging featuring multiple materials must be displayed separately.
• There is a size limit for the Triman Logo as well, where 6mm is minimum and can be printed in black and white

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ITALIAN REGULATION

• All packaging shall be appropriately labelled in accordance with the procedures laid down in the applicable UNI technical standards and in compliance with the decisions of the European Commission
• A written note, in Italian, needs to be visible on the packaging informing about the correct way to dispose of it. CONAI (Consorzio Nazionale Imballaggi – the Italian Consortio of Packaging) suggests using the formula Material Collection + material category (Racolta + famiglia di materiale) Source: www.conai.org
• If the packaging includes several materials, the law recommends using graphic or written directions, also in Italian, to instruct on the correct disposal of the different materials.

Sources for the French regulation: the?original law?and the?additional decree?from 2021, on?legifrance.gouv.fr.

Sources for the Italian regulation: the?original law in the gazzetaufficiale.it?and information on the website of the?National Packaging Consortium, conai.org.