EU Legal Guarantee Notice and GARAN Label for Clothing & Textile Businesses

Vol. 1550 | 10 Aug 2026

From 27 September 2026, EU sellers must display a harmonised legal guarantee notice at point of sale, including online product pages. The voluntary GARAN label applies only to free, whole-product durability guarantees over two years.

What is this regulation all about and its product Scope?

The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1960, adopted on September 25, 2025. The regulation aims to empower consumers to make sustainable purchasing decisions by increasing awareness of product durability and legal guarantee rights. It introduces harmonized visual notices and labels to be used at the point of sale. The mandatory application date across all Member States is strictly set for 27^th September 2026.

The regulation applies broadly to "goods sold in the European Union". This encompasses all physical consumer goods, explicitly including the apparel, textile, and footwear sectors.

What are the mandatory and voluntary requirements?

The Harmonised Notice (Mandatory): A required pre-contractual notice at all points of sale (online and physical) that reminds consumers of their minimum 2-year legal guarantee against defective goods.

The GARAN Label (Conditional/Voluntary): A standardized label used only if a brand voluntarily offers a free, extended commercial guarantee of durability lasting more than two years and covering the entire product.

Does this regulation apply to clothing and textiles?

Yes, if you sell textile, clothing, footwear or accessory products directly to consumers in the EU.

However, it does not require you to add a new label to your garments. Instead, it introduces new rules about the information consumers must receive before they buy a product.

Who does this apply to?

 It applies to:

• Consumer goods sold by a trader to a consumer (B2C).
• Sales made online and in physical stores.
• New and, generally, second-hand goods sold by professional traders (subject to the underlying consumer legislation).

It does not apply to:

• Business-to-business (B2B) sales.
• Sales between private individuals.
• Situations outside the scope of the Consumer Rights Directive.

Do I need to change my garment labels?

 No. the Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 does not require:

• New sewn-in labels
• New swing tickets
• New care labels
• New fibre composition labels
• Country of origin labels

These requirements continue to be covered by other legislation where applicable.

What do I have to do?

You must provide consumers with information about their legal guarantee rights before they purchase the product.

This information should be made available:

• On the product page when selling online.
• At the point of sale in stores (for example, on signage, shelf-edge information, or another clear location).

The European Commission has produced a standard notice that should be used for this purpose.

What is the "GARAN" label?

The GARAN label is an official EU label for products that are sold with a commercial guarantee of durability.

Most clothing retailers will not need to use it.

You only need to display the GARAN label if all of the following apply:

• You voluntarily offer a durability guarantee.
• The guarantee lasts more than two years.
• It covers the entire product.
• It is provided free of charge.

If you do not offer this type of guarantee, no GARAN label is required.

Does this affect my existing warranties?

No. The regulation does not require you to introduce a warranty or guarantee.

Consumers already have legal rights if products are faulty under existing consumer protection legislation.

What should consumer goods retailers do now?

• Review your online product pages and in-store information.
• Ensure consumers receive the required information on their legal guarantee before purchase.
• If you advertise a durability guarantee of more than two years, check whether the official GARAN label must be used.

No changes are normally required to garment labels, care labels or fibre composition labels because of this regulation.

How does the harmonised GARAN label intersect with product durability testing frameworks?

The voluntary commercial guarantee of durability serves as a direct consumer-facing metric. Brands can utilize this label as market validation for technical lifespans proven through standardized durability testing, bridging regulatory compliance under EU Regulation 2025/1960 and physical performance metrics into a recognizable market differentiator at the point of sale.

If an outerwear brand offers a 5-year guarantee only on the jacket's waterproof zippers, can they use the GARAN label?

No. The regulation clearly stipulates that the harmonised label can only be used if the

commercial guarantee of durability covers the entire good, not just a component.

Furthermore, it must be offered at no additional cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to sew a new label into my garments?

No.

Do I need to change my care labels?

No.

Do I need to change my fibre composition labels?

No.

Do I need to display information about consumers' legal guarantee rights?

Yes, if you are the retailer. This information should be provided before the consumer purchases the product.

Do I need to use the GARAN label?

Only if you voluntarily provide a qualifying commercial durability guarantee.

Key Takeaway

For most clothing, footwear and textile businesses, Regulation (EU) 2025/1960 does not require any changes to the physical product labels.

Instead, it requires consumers to receive clear information about their legal guarantee rights before purchase, and only businesses offering a qualifying commercial durability guarantee need to use the official GARAN label.

Link to the regulation can be found here.

 

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