Shenzhen - December 2021

China is a major exporter of textiles and clothing, and for manufacturers and traders, compliance is an important safeguard for competitiveness. APEO (Alkylphenol Ethoxylates) are a class of organic compounds commonly found in textiles due to the use of chemicals in the manufacturing process. If textiles are imported into or sold in the EU, the concentration of APEO must not exceed 0.01% or 100 ppm under REACH. violation of the restriction may result in a ban on marketing and lead to fines, injunctions, criminal charges, reputational damage, and confiscation or destruction of the product. QIMA QIMA experts made a presentation around APEO chemical management and analysis of non-conforming products.

APEO is a widely used nonionic surfactant that may be found in detergents, softeners, stain removers, lubricants, down/feather fillers, coatings, wetting agents, glues and adhesives, textile oils, emulsifiers, dispersing agents, penetrating agents, detackifiers for raw silk production, dyeing agents, and polyester fiber fillers in the manufacture of textiles.APEO can be broken down into a variety of compounds that are These compounds are not easy to decompose and are toxic to fish and invertebrates, and potentially harmful to the human reproductive system, nervous system and immune system. Managing APEO is not only about meeting compliance requirements, it is also good for people's health and good for the environment.

Since APEO exists in the entire supply chain, QIMA experts suggest that APEO management should be a combination of measures：

• Identifying Chemicals：View Safety Data Sheet

  (SDS)

  , contact the vendor and ask for certification and

  /

  or third-party test results.

• Use safer alternative sources：Seek not added

  APEO

  chemicals and materials, seeking safer ingredient formulations.

• Review the supply chain：Contact suppliers to confirm that they use only compliant chemicals in their processes and ask for test results.

• Identify stockpile products：This is because stockpile materials may still contain higher levels of

  APEO

  This may result in product failures, sampling lines from inventory

  APEO

  Testing is necessary.

• Testing products：includes sending samples of purchased materials to third-party laboratories for specialized testing before proceeding with production, as well as testing finished products to ensure compliance.

Enterprises can help to avoid product failure due to APEO contamination by testing, auditing and inspection by experienced and professional third party laboratories. QIMA offers a full suite of quality control services, comprehensive testing, auditing and inspection covering multiple certification programs, detailed reports with clear grading and actionable corrective action plans are provided to the client, and service appointments and data can be easily booked and accessed through the QIMA dashboard. For audited suppliers, QIMA provides KPI reporting and status follow-up. For factories, specialized services are available to assist with continuous improvement.

On the basis of the above, QIMA QIMA laboratory testing services ensure that raw materials and finished products do not exceed APEO limits and consistently comply with the standards and regulations of the destination market. Nonconformity analysis service can help companies to identify the reasons for product non-conformity due to the presence of APEO. In addition, the QIMA audit team collects background information on manufacturers and provides on-site audits to help companies identify where APEOs may be present in the production process and to ensure that the manufacturer's quality system for controlling chemical substances is in compliance with regulatory requirements.

For decades, many textiles end up with APEO residues due to the proliferation of APEO use in industry. QIMA provides professional APEO testing, non-conformity analysis services, as well as helping customers to eliminate APEO from the textile industry and help textile compliance.

About QIMA

QIMA is a leading provider of supply chain compliance solutions, working with 14,000 brands, retailers and importers to safeguard and improve the quality of their global supply chain networks.

With field operations in 85 countries, QIMA combines on-site quality inspection specialists, supplier audits, certification and laboratory testing with a digital platform that generates accurate, transparent and intelligent quality and compliance data.

With customers in 120 countries using the QIMA platform and benefiting from 24/7 customer support in more than 20 languages, QIMA is dedicated to "guardianship of your supply chain".