Selling clothing, footwear and textiles: the rules by market
The rules clothing, footwear and textiles must meet before going on sale in the EU, the UK, Switzerland, the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, the UAE and Saudi Arabia: who writes them, who enforces them, and what has to be registered, tested and labelled, with the official source for each. Compliant Always shows which of them apply to your product.
Europe
- European UnionIn the EU, textile products are labelled with their full fibre composition under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, using only the fibre names in its Annex I. Footwear is labelled with the materials of its upper, lining and sock, and outer sole under Directive 94/11/EC. REACH restricts hazardous substances in textiles, and member states are setting up producer responsibility schemes.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in the EU
- United KingdomIn Great Britain, textile products are labelled with their fibre composition in English, under assimilated Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011. Footwear is labelled with the materials of its upper, lining and sole. Nightwear meets flammability and labelling rules, and general product safety and UK REACH apply alongside.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in the UK
- SwitzerlandIn Switzerland, clothing, bedding and other textiles that touch the body are utility articles under food law. The FDHA Ordinance on Articles in Contact with the Human Body (HKV) limits azo dyes, organotins and REACH-listed substances, sets nickel release limits for metal parts, and adds flammability and children's drawstring rules. Cantonal authorities enforce.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in Switzerland
The Americas
- United StatesIn the US, textile products such as clothing, bedding and towels carry a label with fibre content, country of origin and the business's name or RN, in English, under FTC rules. Clothing carries care instructions. Clothing textiles meet the CPSC flammability standard, with stricter rules for children's sleepwear and mattresses, and children's clothing is a children's product.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in the US
- CanadaIn Canada, consumer textile articles listed in the Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations carry a label with fibre content by percentage and the dealer's identity, enforced by the Competition Bureau. Fibre information is bilingual. Health Canada sets flammability requirements under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, with stricter rules for children's sleepwear and lead limits for children's clothing.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in Canada
- MexicoIn 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.Selling clothing, textiles and footwear in Mexico
- BrazilIn Brazil, textile products are labelled under INMETRO's Portaria 118/2021, the Mercosur textile labelling regulation: maker and tax ID, country of origin, fibres by percentage, care treatment and size, permanent and in Portuguese. Footwear labelling under Portaria 459/2025 applies to manufacturers and importers from 31 December 2026. Neither needs INMETRO registration.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in Brazil
Asia and the Pacific
- AustraliaIn Australia, clothing, household textiles, furnishings and bedding carry care instructions under the Consumer Goods (Care Labelling) Information Standard 2023, following AS/NZS 1957:1998 or ISO 3758:2012. Children's nightwear and limited daywear meet the fire hazard standard AS/NZS 1249:2014. Imported textiles and shoes carry an English trade description, and shoes state what the sole, upper and lining are made of.Selling clothing, textiles and footwear in Australia
- New ZealandIn New Zealand, new textiles need a care label and usually a fibre content label, and new clothing and footwear a country of origin label, under consumer information standards made under the Fair Trading Act 1986. Children's nightwear must meet a product safety standard with a white or red fire hazard label. The Commerce Commission enforces.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in New Zealand
- JapanIn Japan, clothing and household textiles carry a quality label under the Household Goods Quality Labelling Act, showing fibre composition and care symbols. Limits under the Act on Control of Household Products Containing Harmful Substances apply to formaldehyde, azo dyes, flame retardants and organotins. Customs refuses goods with a false or misleading origin.Selling clothing and textiles in Japan
- South KoreaIn South Korea, household textile products are consumer products subject to compliance with safety standards under the Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products Safety Control Act: no product test is mandatory, but the safety standards are met and the labelling they set, such as fibre composition and care, is shown. Textiles for infants and children follow the Children's Products Act.Selling clothing and textiles in South Korea
- SingaporeIn Singapore, apparel, mattresses and bedding are general consumer goods under the Consumer Protection (Consumer Goods Safety Requirements) Regulations 2011, run by the Consumer Product Safety Office. There is no pre-market registration: goods meet an applicable ISO, IEC, EN or ASTM standard, and the CPSO can stop the sale of unsafe goods.Selling clothing, textiles and bedding in Singapore
- IndiaIn India, packaged clothing carries the Legal Metrology declarations, and garments sold loose carry a shorter set including size and maximum retail price. Many kinds of footwear conform to Indian Standards and bear the BIS Standard Mark under Quality Control Orders. BIS's textile orders mostly cover fibres, yarns and technical textiles rather than finished clothing.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in India
The Middle East
- United Arab EmiratesIn the UAE, clothing, fabrics and indoor textiles fall under Cabinet Resolution No. 54 of 2019. Products meet flammability and hazardous substance requirements, carry care and fibre content labels, and are registered under ECAS where the scheme applies, with a test report under three years old. Dubai publishes a list of non-complying textiles.Selling clothing and textiles in the UAE
- Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, textile products meet the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) Technical Regulation for Textile Products, and footwear its own regulation. Labels are in Arabic and firmly attached, with fibre names and percentages. Children's textiles under 36 months and underwear need a Type 3 certificate; other textiles a Type 1a certificate.Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in Saudi Arabia
Other products
- Food
- Supplements
- Beverages
- Alcohol
- Infant formula and baby food
- Pet food
- Cosmetics and beauty
- Cleaning products and detergents
- Toys
- Electrical and electronics
- Kitchenware and food contact articles
- Consumer goods
Selling clothing, footwear and textiles somewhere not listed here? Tell us the product and the market, and we will come back to you with the rules that apply.
Tell us where you sellCompliant 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.