REACH questions arrive early in European filament purchasing, usually as a one-line request: "Do you have REACH?" The useful answer is not yes or no — it is a statement that names the candidate list version screened and the substances covered.
What SVHC means in practice
The candidate list of substances of very high concern is updated periodically by ECHA. When a substance is added, communication duties can arise for articles and mixtures containing it above a concentration threshold. For a filament buyer the practical questions are:
- Which version of the candidate list was screened?
- Was the screen done on the polymer, the masterbatch, or the finished filament?
- What detection limits were used, and by which laboratory method?
- Who issued the statement, and when?
A statement worth accepting
| Weak statement | Strong statement |
|---|---|
| "REACH compliant" | Names the candidate list version and states the screening result per substance group |
| No date | Dated, with a reissue policy when the list updates |
| No scope | Identifies the grades and colors covered |
| No method | References the test method and detection limit |
Substance groups buyers ask about
Filament questionnaires commonly request lead, cadmium, phthalates, PAHs, POPs, SCCP, PFOA and hexavalent chromium, alongside the candidate list screen. These are the same families that appear in consumer-safety testing such as CPSIA and California Prop 65 — see CPSIA and Prop 65 for filament.
What no supplier can honestly claim
- That a screen covers future candidate list updates — hence the need for a reissue policy.
- That compliance transfers to your finished article regardless of how it is processed. REACH duties depend on your role, your product and your volume.
- That a pigment or additive is safe for every application — food contact and medical uses have separate frameworks.
How to work with a supplier
- Request the statement for the exact grade and color, not the factory's general brochure.
- Ask when it is reissued after a candidate list update.
- Keep the version you received with the shipment documents, so a query years later can be answered.
- Where your channel demands more, commission your own test on a retained sample.
VOXFIL provides REACH declarations with SVHC screening covering the substances listed above, together with TDS, SDS and lot-level batch reports. Request the current revision for your material via the Trust Center or contact the team.
Frequently asked questions
What should a REACH SVHC statement for filament include?
The candidate list version screened, the scope (grades covered), the substances and detection limits, the test method, the issuing entity and a date, plus a policy for reissuing when the candidate list is updated.
Does a REACH statement make my finished product compliant?
No. REACH duties depend on your role in the supply chain, the product and the volume. A supplier statement supports your assessment; it does not replace it.
How often does the SVHC candidate list change?
ECHA updates the candidate list periodically, typically adding substances in batches. Ask suppliers how they track updates and whether they reissue statements automatically.