Q: How do I check a zipper for REACH SVHC compliance?
Start with a declaration from the supplier that lists every component, including tape, thread, teeth, slider, puller and any coating, against the current REACH candidate list of substances of very high concern. The obligation is triggered when a substance is present above 0.1 percent by weight of the article, and the list is updated periodically, so the declaration must reference its version and date.
Paperwork alone is not proof. Ask for test reports from a recognized laboratory, typically using ICP-MS for metals, GC-MS for organic substances and specific methods for azo dyes and phthalates. Check that the reported detection limits are below the applicable threshold and that the sample description matches the actual article, not a similar one from another product line.
Where an SVHC is present above the threshold, the supplier must provide information for safe use, and for articles placed on the EU market a SCIP notification may be required. Keep the declarations and reports with the technical file, note their validity, and refresh them when the formulation, the plating or the candidate list changes.