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Selling clothing, textiles and footwear in Mexico

In Mexico, textile products, clothing, accessories and household linen are labelled under NOM-004-SE-2021 before they enter the country or are sold: brand, fibre content, size, care instructions, country of origin and the responsible party. Leather goods and footwear are marked under NOM-020-SCFI-1997. The Secretaría de Economía and PROFECO enforce.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Textile labelling
NOM-004-SE-2021, in force from 14 January 2023
Scope
Products with 50% or more textile content by mass
Five items
Responsible party, origin, fibres, care, size
Fibre tolerance
±3 percentage points
Footwear and leather
NOM-020-SCFI-1997
Enforcement
Secretaría de Economía and PROFECO

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a textile product under NOM-004, or excluded, or leather or footwear under NOM-020? Read more
  2. 2Does the permanent label give the brand, fibres, size, care and origin? Read more
  3. 3Are the fibre names and percentages declared correctly? Read more
  4. 4Is the responsible party named, with the tax details? Read more
  5. 5Is it labelled before entry, with conformity shown at customs where required? Read more
  6. 6If it is footwear or leather, is it marked under NOM-020? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

What NOM-004 covers

The products that carry a textile label.

  • NOM-004-SE-2021 (Información comercial-Etiquetado de productos textiles, prendas de vestir, sus accesorios y ropa de casa) applies to textile products, clothing and accessories, and household linen made of 50% or more textile material by mass, made in Mexico or imported for sale.
  • It was published in the DOF on 14 January 2022, entered into force on 14 January 2023, and cancelled NOM-004-SCFI-2006.
  • Exclusions include, among others, electric blankets, disposable nappies, wet wipes, toys and costumes.
  • Commercial information for imported goods is attached before the goods enter Mexico.

How we help: Compliant Always records whether each product is in scope and why, with the fibre composition behind it. Ask about this

What the label shows

The five items of commercial information.

  • The label gives the responsible party, the country of origin, the fibre content, the care instructions and the size or dimensions.
  • Clothing carries a permanent label, usually at the neck or waist, with the brand, the fibre content, the size, the care instructions and the country of origin.
  • The responsible party is given by name, tax address and RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes) of the national manufacturer or the importer; this may go on a temporary label or on closed packaging.
  • Care instructions use the symbols of the Mexican standard NMX-A-3758, and the information is in Spanish under the Federal Consumer Protection Law (4.1.4).
  • Products made in Mexico with imported materials may say "Hecho en México con insumos importados"; "Hecha a mano" is used only where the product is entirely handmade (4.6.2).
  • A QR code or other electronic means may give extra information, but not in place of the label.

How we help: Compliant Always sets your label artwork beside each item of NOM-004, so a missing RFC or care symbol shows up before production. Ask about this

Fibre content

How the fibres are named and declared.

  • Fibres are given as percentages of the total mass, in order of predominance, with generic names from the Mexican standards NMX-A-2076 and NMX-A-6938.
  • Each fibre at 5% or more is named; fibres under 5% may be grouped as "otras fibras".
  • The declared percentages may vary by no more than three percentage points.

How we help: Upload a fibre test report and Compliant Always reads the measured percentages against the label, within the tolerance. Ask about this

Leather goods and footwear

Marking leather products and shoes under NOM-020.

  • NOM-020-SCFI-1997 (Información comercial-Etiquetado de cueros y pieles curtidas naturales y materiales sintéticos o artificiales con esa apariencia, calzado, marroquinería, así como los productos elaborados con dichos materiales) was published in the DOF on 27 April 1998.
  • Products are marked in Spanish, permanently and visibly, with the name or registered brand of the manufacturer or importer and "Hecho en…" or the country of origin.
  • The materials are declared; for footwear, the materials of the upper, the lining and the sole.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the material declarations from your supplier with each style and checks them against the marking. Ask about this

Import and enforcement

Showing conformity at entry, and who checks.

  • A conformity certificate (constancia) or an inspection opinion (dictamen) is used to show compliance at import, under Annex 2.4.1 of the Secretaría de Economía's foreign trade rules.
  • Imported goods subject to a NOM must meet it, and the authorities identify by tariff heading those that show conformity at the point of entry (Article 64, Quality Infrastructure Law).
  • Sellers require their suppliers to label the products they sell.
  • The Secretaría de Economía and PROFECO enforce NOM-004 (section 7).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps each constancia or dictamen with the style and the shipment, and shows which expire first. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
BrandThe label content, fibre declaration and care symbols.Labels checked against NOM-004, with test reports behind them.
ManufacturerFibre composition within tolerance, and labels sewn in.Fibre test reports kept by style.
ImporterLabels attached before entry, its RFC on the label, and conformity at customs.Supplier documents read and dated before the goods arrive.
RetailerRequiring suppliers to label what it sells.The label and documents for each style, ready when PROFECO asks.

Federal rules and the states

Product rules in Mexico are federal: the General Health Law, the Federal Consumer Protection Law and the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas apply across the national territory.

Health surveillance is shared. Under the General Health Law, a notice of operation (aviso de funcionamiento) goes to the Secretaría de Salud or to the government of the state (entidad federativa), and several sanitary NOMs are enforced by COFEPRIS and the state governments together.

Questions businesses ask

Which NOM sets textile labelling in Mexico?
NOM-004-SE-2021, published in the DOF on 14 January 2022 and in force from 14 January 2023, which replaced NOM-004-SCFI-2006.
What must a clothing label show in Mexico?
The brand, fibre content, size, care instructions and country of origin on a permanent label, and the responsible party's name, tax address and RFC.
Does NOM-004 apply to products with only some textile content?
It applies to products made of 50% or more textile material by mass.
Must textile labels be in Spanish?
Yes. The commercial information is given in Spanish, under the Federal Consumer Protection Law (NOM-004, 4.1.4).
How are small fibre amounts declared?
Fibres at 5% or more are named generically; fibres under 5% may be grouped as "otras fibras".
What tolerance applies to fibre percentages?
The declared percentages may differ from the actual content by no more than three percentage points.
Can a QR code replace the textile label?
No. A QR code or other electronic means may give extra information, but the label still carries the mandatory items.
When must imported clothing be labelled?
Before the goods enter Mexico. Conformity is shown with a constancia or dictamen under the Secretaría de Economía's foreign trade rules.
Which NOM applies to shoes?
NOM-020-SCFI-1997. Footwear is marked in Spanish, permanently, with the maker or importer, the country of origin, and the materials of the upper, lining and sole.
Who enforces textile labelling in Mexico?
The Secretaría de Economía and PROFECO (NOM-004, section 7).
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Mexico?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas and COFEPRIS requirements. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Mexico and what your paperwork needs to show.

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