What happens if my children’s clothing fails EN 14682 cord testing?

When children’s clothing fails EN 14682 cord testing, it means the garment poses serious strangulation risks and cannot be legally sold in the EU. You must immediately stop sales, notify authorities, and begin corrective actions. Under the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), failed cord safety testing triggers mandatory compliance procedures to protect children from potentially fatal accidents.

What does it mean when children’s clothing fails EN 14682 cord testing?

A failed EN 14682 cord test indicates that cords or drawstrings on children’s clothing exceed safety limits and create strangulation hazards. The EN 14682 standard sets strict requirements for cord lengths, positioning, and attachment methods on children’s garments to prevent entanglement accidents.

Common Reasons for Test Failures

Hood drawstrings: Cords in hood areas that exceed maximum length requirements
Extended measurements: Cords that extend beyond safe measurement limits
Non-compliant toggles: Functional cords with toggles that don’t meet safety specifications
Elastic band issues: Elastic bands that fail positioning or attachment requirements

The standard applies to clothing for children up to 14 years old, with the most stringent requirements for younger age groups where strangulation risks are highest.

When your product fails this testing, it means the garment does not meet EU product safety requirements and poses genuine danger to children. The failure creates immediate legal obligations under the GPSR, as the product is considered unsafe for the EU market and requires urgent intervention to prevent accidents.

What immediate actions must you take after a failed cord test?

You must immediately cease all sales and distribution of the failed products whilst conducting a comprehensive risk assessment. Stop any further market placement and begin documenting the safety issue for regulatory authorities.

Action Required	Timeline	Responsibility
Stop all sales and distribution	Immediate	Manufacturer/Importer
Withdraw stock from retail channels	As soon as possible	Manufacturer/Distributor
Conduct risk assessment	Without delay	Manufacturer
Notify authorized representative (if applicable)	Immediate	Non-EU Manufacturer
Document findings	Without delay	Manufacturer

Your immediate response should include withdrawing remaining stock from retail channels and online marketplaces. Contact your distributors and retailers to halt sales immediately, as continued circulation of unsafe children’s clothing violates GPSR compliance requirements and increases liability exposure.

Conduct an urgent internal risk assessment to determine the scope of affected products and potential safety consequences. Document all findings and prepare notification procedures for market surveillance authorities. If you operate without an EU establishment, ensure your authorized representative is immediately informed, as they must coordinate with authorities regarding the safety failure and manage official communications throughout the compliance process.

How do market surveillance authorities respond to cord safety failures?

EU market surveillance authorities treat cord safety failures as serious product risks requiring immediate investigation and enforcement action. They have extensive powers to demand product information, conduct inspections, and impose market restrictions under the Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 (MSR).

Authority Investigation Process

Initial assessment: Request technical documentation and test reports
Scope evaluation: Determine the extent and severity of the safety failure
Market action: Issue immediate withdrawal orders if necessary
Compliance review: Examine risk assessment procedures and market entry processes
Enforcement decision: Determine appropriate penalties or corrective measures

Authorities typically begin by requesting technical documentation and test reports to understand the safety failure’s scope and severity. They may issue immediate market withdrawal orders, preventing further sales until compliance is achieved. Their investigation process includes reviewing your risk assessment procedures and examining how the unsafe product reached the market.

Your authorized representative plays a crucial role in managing these official communications and ensuring proper cooperation with authorities during inspections or investigations. They must provide access to technical documentation and coordinate your response to regulatory requirements. Penalties for non-compliance can include significant fines, product recalls, and potential removal from the European market, making proper authority cooperation important for maintaining market access.

What are your options for fixing failed cord testing issues?

You can modify the product design to meet EN 14682 requirements through cord removal, length adjustments, or alternative fastening systems. Most cord safety failures can be resolved through design modifications that eliminate strangulation risks whilst maintaining product functionality.

Design Modification Solutions

Problem Area	Solution Options	Compliance Benefit
Hood drawstrings	Complete removal or shortening to compliant lengths	Eliminates strangulation risk
Waist cords	Replace with elastic waistbands or press studs	Maintains functionality without cord hazards
Decorative cords	Use printed designs or embroidered alternatives	Preserves aesthetic appeal safely
Functional toggles	Switch to velcro, snap fasteners, or buttons	Provides secure closure without cord risks

Product modification options include removing problematic drawstrings entirely, shortening cords to compliant lengths, or replacing them with safer alternatives like press studs or velcro fastenings. You must retest modified products to confirm EN 14682 compliance before resuming market placement.

If modification is not feasible, you may need to initiate recall procedures for products already sold to consumers. This involves coordinating with retailers, notifying customers, and providing remedial actions such as product returns or safety modifications. Your authorized representative can help manage recall communications with authorities and ensure proper consumer notification procedures.

Successfully addressing cord testing failures requires systematic compliance management and proper regulatory coordination. At EARP, we help manufacturers navigate these complex safety requirements whilst maintaining uninterrupted EU market access through expert authorized representative services.

If you are looking for support or to learn more, contact our team of experts today