February 2025
The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is alerting apparel brands, retailers, and supply chain partners about a significant regulatory change coming into effect this month.
As of February 24, 2025, the sale of fluorescent lighting will be officially discontinued in the EU and UK, impacting various sectors, from designers and fabric manufacturers to merchandisers and visual display artists.
Phasing Out Mercury-Containing Lamps
“The phase-out of fluorescent lamps has been in progress for years due to the health risks posed by mercury,” explains BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “Mercury-containing lamps were banned for general use in August 2023, affecting homes, factories, and retail environments. However, an exemption for specialized applications, such as visual and digital colour assessment, remained in place until now.
“This legislation currently applies to Europe and the UK, but global adoption is expected soon. As a result, specialist light booth manufacturers, including our member company VeriVide, will no longer be able to sell new fluorescent-based light booths.”
Ensuring Colour Consistency
“Colour consistency is crucial throughout the textile supply chain,” adds VeriVide Sales Director Adam Dakin. “All participants, from designers to manufacturers, must work under the same lighting conditions to ensure accuracy. Colour-matching done under fluorescent lamps in labs and design offices may appear completely different when displayed under LED lighting in stores, potentially leading to costly product returns or batch recalls.”
VeriVide’s LED Colour Ecosystem
For the past decade, VeriVide has been developing its all-LED light booths, a key component of its colour assessment ecosystem. This includes solutions for digital colour communication, colour fastness grading, and test reporting, using technologies such as DigiEye and DigiView.
“With the ban in place, we will no longer manufacture fluorescent light booths,” explains Adam Dakin. “However, our next-generation UltraView all-LED technology is now available as a superior alternative. Additionally, we have stock available for customers needing replacement fluorescent lamps while transitioning to UltraView.”
Retailers Adopting LED Solutions
Since launching in 2023, UltraView all-LED technology has been adopted by leading retail brands, including H&M, George by Asda, Marks & Spencer, NEXT, River Island, and Tesco.
“With UltraView from VeriVide, we are confident in our ability to future-proof colour assessment,” says Gary Timmons, Fabric Technologist at NEXT.
A Sustainable Alternative
“LED technology is not only mercury-free but also significantly more energy-efficient,” concludes Jason Kent. “Ensuring that all players in the textile supply chain work under the same lighting conditions is critical, particularly given the complexity of the industry.”