The Danish Environmental Protection Agency is testing close to 40 types of knitting yarns for the presence of hazardous substances.
Knitting has become a popular activity among Danes in recent years, it said, and the trend has accelerated during the lockdown to control the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Inspections will be carried out on cotton and wool yarns to look for the same hazardous substances that have been previously found in textiles. The EPA will assess whether any substances are present in quantities that may pose a risk both to those knitting and those wearing the items through skin contact.
If it detects any hazardous chemicals, it will follow this up with "good advice" to consumers or by initiating regulation, it said.
The types of yarn to be tested include 'Superwash' – a popular wool yarn. The EPA expects the tests to be completed by the end of 2020.
Regulatory authorities in the EU have been looking into how they can reduce the use of certain chemicals in textiles.
In 2018, the European Commission adopted restrictions for 33 carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) substances used in clothing, textiles and footwear. These include maximum concentration limits and ban certain textiles that exceed the thresholds from being placed on the EU market.
Meanwhile, the Swedish government is considering implementing a tax on clothes and shoes containing SVHCs under REACH.