GPSR language requirements for knitting and crochet patterns

There has been much concern in online spaces about GPSR (General Product Safety Regulation) in general. Specifically, many are worried that the safety statement on their patterns needs to be translated into multiple languages. A task they feel unprepared to undertake.

Unfortunately, this has led some designers to close their small businesses or block all EU sales. Yet this is actually the easiest part of the new regulations to resolve.

In short: any safety statement you include only needs to be in the language the pattern is written in. There may be an exception if the pattern is entirely based on charts or graphs, but I will address this in more detail below.


Many are under the misconception that safety warnings must be in “27 languages.” This idea is frequently repeated in Facebook groups, but it’s simply not true. The EU has 27 member states, but only 24 official languages!


Below, I’ll delve deeper into EU language requirements. But first, let’s focus on what the law actually says and what it means for knitting and crochet pattern designers.

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GPSR Language Requirements

What does the GPSR say about languages?

Section 1, Article 9, Paragraph 7 of the GPSR states:


“Manufacturers shall ensure that their product is accompanied by clear instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers, as determined by the Member State in which the product is made available on the market. That requirement shall not apply where the product can be used safely and as intended by the manufacturer without such instructions and safety information.”


This means that some simple products don’t need a safety statement at all. For instance, a candlestick or a book doesn’t require safety information because it’s unlikely anyone will hurt themselves using these items.


Because knitting and crochet patterns are digital downloads, not physical books, I recommend including a brief safety statement as a precaution. While patterns are incredibly low-risk products, digital files carry a tiny risk (e.g., issues related to downloads or embedded links). However, let’s not lose sight of what we’re selling: PDF instructions to help someone hand-make a craft item. Your safety statement does not need to be complicated or intimidating.

What does ‘Easily understood by consumers’ mean?

The law doesn’t ask for translations into 24 or 27 languages. Instead, it asks for “a language easily understood by the consumer.”


When your pattern is written in one or two languages, your safety statement only needs to be in those same languages. If a consumer isn’t fluent enough to read the safety statement, they won’t be able to use the pattern anyway.


This requirement differs for physical products like yarn, which could be used by anyone regardless of their language. Patterns, however, are language-dependent.

What about Graph only patterns?

Issues could arise if you sell a pattern that relies solely on charts or stitch diagrams without accompanying written instructions. While rare, this is theoretically possible. In such cases, I advise eliminating the need for a safety statement altogether by keeping the product as straightforward as possible (e.g., omitting embedded hyperlinks). If no safety statement is required, there’s nothing to translate.

Accessibility and Vulnerable Consumers

The GPSR emphasizes making products accessible to children, the elderly, disabled people, and other vulnerable groups
• Note 5:
All consumers, including the most vulnerable, such as children, older persons or persons with disabilities, have the right to safe products.
• Note 23:
The safety of a product should be assessed taking into account… the specific needs and risks which the product represents for certain categories of consumers who are likely to use the products, in particular children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.


Thus, safety statements should be written simply, clearly, and accessibly. Let’s explore how this applies to knitting and crochet patterns.

Do children, elderly or disabled people knit, crochet or craft?

Children: Yes! Many children learn to knit or crochet early. For example, some EU countries (like Finland) teach these crafts in primary schools, and Steiner Waldorf schools also include knitting in their curriculum. If your pattern is for a simple project like a hat or an amigurumi toy, it could be used by children as young as 10. Your safety information should therefore be simple enough to explain to a 10-year-old.


Elderly and Disabled People: Yes! Many older and disabled people knit or crochet. Vision is often the most significant consideration as eyesight declines with age.
• Use a minimum font size of 12 points for all text.
• For low-vision accessibility, use a font size of at least 20 points.
• Ensure the safety statement is text, not contained within an image, so screen readers can process it.

Etsy Sales and translation issues

Etsy has introduced a problematic feature: auto-translation of listings. This often leads to consumers purchasing patterns in a language they don’t understand. As digital products are non-refundable, this can result in negative reviews and unhappy customers.


To avoid this:
• Include the safety statement in your Etsy listing, not just in the pattern. Its not a requirement of the act, but might help your star rating.
• Clearly state which languages the pattern is available in.
• Add this information to one of the listing images, as customers often pay more attention to pictures than text.

In summary

Write a safety statement (if needed) in simple, clear, easy to understand language. Use easy to read text, and check it can be read by a screen reader. There is no need to translate it into languages not used in the pattern. Pop it into an image and include this as a picture if selling on Etsy.

Post Script: a few Interesting Facts about EU Languages

• The EU has 24 official languages, these are: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish.
• In addition, regional languages like Turkish, Catalan, Basque, and Luxembourgish are spoken, although they are not currently ‘official’ languages of the EU.
• 49% of EU citizens speak English. So, even if your patterns are only in English, the EU is still a viable market.


A core EU policy promotes multilingualism, encouraging citizens to learn at least three languages. While education policy is up to individual member states, this goal influences many systems.



Reference Links
1. EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) – Official Text
2. Wikipedia: Multilingualism in the EU
3. European Commission on Language Policy
4. Accessibility guidelines: British Dyslexia Association