Nickel Free
EU Nickel Directive & Body Piercing Jewelry
What piercers, studios, and jewelry buyers need to know about nickel content, release rates, and legal responsibilities in the European Union.
Certificate: AC 0524
Checked by: AAG.12471 — Year 1996
Development / Test: Ond. Ontw. — CR 124 71:2002
What is the EU Nickel Directive?
The EU Nickel Directive (originally 76/769/EEC, now 94/27/EEC) was enacted on and became law across the European Union on . It was introduced because of widespread allergic reactions and nickel sensitisation caused by clothing fasteners, costume jewellery, and body piercing assemblies.
The directive is binding EU law. Any supplier or piercer claiming it does not apply is misinformed. Both the supplier and the piercer share responsibility for ensuring jewellery placed on the European market meets its requirements.
The Nickel Directive is only enforced in Europe. It is not in effect anywhere else in the world.
The Two Parts of the Directive
Although the directive is a large and complex document, its practical impact on body piercing can be summarised in two simple limits:
| Part | Situation | Legal limit |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Items present during epithelisation (healing / broken skin) | Homogeneous and no more than 500 ppm (0.05%) nickel |
| Part 2 | Items worn once the wound has healed | Nickel release no more than 0.5 µg/cm²/week |
316L Surgical Steel
Surgical Steel 316L (SS316L) is an implant-grade alloy and the most commonly used material for body jewellery. It is highly durable, corrosion resistant, and widely available.
However, 316L surgical steel contains 6–13% nickel. This is far above the 0.05% limit for items in contact with broken skin, so it does not comply with Part 1 of the Directive and cannot be used for fresh piercings.
Important: Steel is only recommended for healed piercings. Once epithelisation is complete, the release rate falls below 0.5 µg/cm²/week, making it suitable as replacement jewellery.
Titanium
Titanium does not contain nickel by nature, so it complies with the nickel content requirement in Part 1. It is therefore suitable for use in fresh piercings.
That said, titanium can pick up nickel traces during manufacturing. This means it may still fail the release-rate test in Part 2 if the manufacturer does not control contamination. Always verify that your titanium supplier provides release-rate test data.
Compliance Responsibilities
- Suppliers must ensure jewellery sold in the EU meets the Directive's nickel limits.
- Piercers must only use compliant jewellery in fresh piercings — typically titanium or other nickel-free, tested materials.
- Steel 316L should be reserved for healed piercings and offered only as replacement jewellery.
- Keep lab certificates and test reports on file and request them from suppliers when not provided.
Our official nickel analysis certificate (AC 0524) confirms that our materials are tested and documented for EU compliance.
Our Test Reports & Material Certificates
Every material we supply is tested by an accredited laboratory (Intertek Testing Services) against the nickel release limit of REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Annex XVII, entry 27, plus the lead and cadmium limits in entries 63 and 23. Download the full reports below.
| Material | Result | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Titanium 6AL-4V ELI (ASTM F136)Implant-grade titanium alloy composition |
Implant grade
|
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| Gold 14KLead, Cadmium & Nickel release (EN 1811 / EN 12472) |
Pass
|
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| Gold 18K (yellow gold)Lead, Cadmium & Nickel release (EN 1811 / EN 12472) |
Pass
|
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| PVD Gold 24K coatingLead, Cadmium & Nickel release (EN 1811 / EN 12472) |
Pass
|
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| PVD Black coatingLead, Cadmium & Nickel release (EN 1811 / EN 12472) |
Pass
|
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| PVD CoCr coating (on titanium)Lead, Cadmium & Nickel release (REACH Annex XVII) |
Pass
|
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| Nickel release test methodsEN 1811, EN 12472 & EN 16128 explained |
Reference
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Nickel release is measured to EN 1811, with EN 12472 wear-and-corrosion simulation for coated items. All tested samples release less than the 0.5 µg/cm²/week limit for healed piercings and the stricter 0.2 µg/cm²/week requirement for post assemblies inserted into pierced skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
The EU Nickel Directive (76/769/EEC, now 94/27/EEC) is European legislation enacted on 20 July 1999 and in force since 20 January 2000. It limits nickel content and release rates in items that come into contact with skin or broken skin, including body piercing jewelry.
Yes. 316L surgical stainless steel contains 6–13% nickel. Because it exceeds the 0.05% nickel limit for items in contact with broken skin, it cannot be used for fresh piercings under the EU Nickel Directive. It is only suitable for fully healed piercings.
Titanium does not naturally contain nickel, but it can attract nickel traces during manufacturing. It complies with the nickel content limit, but piercers should verify the manufacturer's release-rate testing to ensure it meets the 0.5 µg/cm²/week limit.
Both the jewelry supplier and the piercer share legal responsibility for ensuring body piercing jewelry sold or used in the EU complies with the Nickel Directive.
Questions about material compliance?
Our team can help you choose the right jewellery for fresh and healed piercings while staying compliant with EU regulations.