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Selling clothing, footwear and textiles in Saudi Arabia

In 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.

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

Textiles
SASO Technical Regulation for Textile Products, second issue
Scope
Products of at least 80% textile fibre by weight
Footwear
SASO Technical Regulation for Footwear and their Accessories
Label language
Arabic; another language may be added
Children's wear and underwear
Type 3 certificate
Other textiles
Type 1a certificate

Before a product goes on sale

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

  1. 1Is it a textile product, footwear, or a product with a medical claim? Read more
  2. 2Does the Arabic label give the fibre names and percentages and the other particulars? Read more
  3. 3Do test reports cover the restricted chemicals and children's safety requirements? Read more
  4. 4Which conformity model applies, and is the technical file in place? Read more
  5. 5For footwear, does the label and certificate meet the footwear regulation? Read more

The rules, by area

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

Scope

Which products the textile regulation covers.

  • The Technical Regulation for Textile Products (اللائحة الفنية للمنتجات النسيجية), second issue, was adopted by SASO's Board at meeting No. (195) on 28 December 2023 and published in the Official Gazette on 12 January 2024.
  • It covers products made of at least 80% textile fibre by weight, including furniture coverings, covers for appliances and camping products, and textiles forming an integral part of another product, such as bags and headwear.
  • Products designed for medical purposes or with medical claims are excluded, because they fall under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority's rules.
  • Footwear covered by the Technical Regulation for Footwear and their Accessories is excluded.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the product's composition and claims against the regulation's scope, so the regulation it falls under is clear. Ask about this

Labelling and fibre names

What the label shows and how fibres are named.

  • Label data is in Arabic; another language may be added, and the Arabic prevails. It is legible to the consumer at the time of purchase, including when buying online.
  • The label is firmly attached so that it is difficult to remove, and the information on it is correct and substantiated.
  • The label gives the fibre types by name with their percentages by mass, the weight, size or dimensions, the supplier's name and commercial registration on the outer pack, and the country of origin.
  • A product may be described as "pure" or "100%" only if it is made of a single fibre type.
  • Products with non-textile parts of animal origin state "Contains non-textile parts of animal origin".
  • Labels may not contain Quranic verses or the name of God, and images and phrases must not breach public order, public morals or the Islamic values prevailing in the Kingdom.

How we help: Upload the care label and swing ticket and Compliant Always reads them against the regulation's particulars and fibre names, in Arabic. Ask about this

Safety and chemicals

The safety and chemical requirements textiles meet.

  • The regulation sets requirements for children's clothing accessories and cords.
  • Tests cover harmful chemicals including formaldehyde, heavy metals, phenol compounds and suspect dyes, carcinogenic amines, flame retardants, pesticide residues, phthalates, and organochlorine and organotin compounds, under the standards in Annex 1.
  • Products declared flame-resistant meet the flammability standards, and fillings such as feathers and down are covered for contamination.
  • Tests cover pH and colour fastness to washing, sweat and rubbing, and fastness to saliva for children's clothing.

How we help: Upload a lab report and Compliant Always reads it against the chemical limits in the standards the regulation lists, with the source beside each. Ask about this

Conformity assessment and SABER

The certificate and technical file the supplier needs.

  • For textiles for children under 36 months and for underwear, the supplier obtains a certificate of conformity from a SASO-accepted body under Type 3 (ISO/IEC 17067).
  • For other textiles, the certificate is under Type 1a.
  • The product is accompanied by a technical file with the supplier's declaration of conformity and laboratory reports on hazardous chemicals.
  • Certificates are registered in SABER, which issues a shipment certificate for each consignment.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the certificate, declaration and lab reports with the product and lot, and shows which are due to expire. Ask about this

Footwear

SASO's separate regulation for footwear.

  • The Technical Regulation for Footwear and their Accessories, adopted on 15 October 2020 and published on 27 November 2020, applies to footwear of leather, textile, plastic or a mix; medical footwear (SFDA) and footwear classed as toys are excluded.
  • Footwear made with animal skins forbidden by law may not be placed on the market.
  • Labels give the brand name and country of origin, in Arabic or in Arabic and English, affixed so they are difficult to remove; footwear is packed in pairs in a carton.
  • Footwear for infants under 36 months needs a Type 3 certificate; other footwear a Type 1a certificate, with a technical file including the supplier's declaration, a risk assessment and test reports.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the footwear certificate, declaration and test reports with each style, and reads the label against the regulation's particulars. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
Supplier (manufacturer or importer)The certificate of conformity, the technical file, and its name and commercial registration on the outer pack.Certificates and lab reports kept together, with expiry dates shown.
BrandAn Arabic label with fibre names and percentages, and nothing contrary to the regulation's content rules.Labels read against the particulars, with the gaps shown.
Online sellerLabel data legible to the buyer at the time of purchase online.The label record kept with the listing's product.

Questions businesses ask

Which regulation covers clothing in Saudi Arabia?
SASO's Technical Regulation for Textile Products, second issue, published in the Official Gazette on 12 January 2024. It covers products of at least 80% textile fibre by weight.
Must clothing labels be in Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Label data is in Arabic, another language may be added, and the Arabic prevails. It must be legible at purchase, including online.
What must a textile label show in Saudi Arabia?
Fibre names and percentages by mass, weight, size or dimensions, the supplier's name and commercial registration on the outer pack, and the country of origin.
When can a garment be labelled 100% in Saudi Arabia?
Only when it is made of a single fibre type; the regulation restricts "pure" and "100%" to such products.
What certificate do children's clothes need in Saudi Arabia?
Textiles for children under 36 months, and underwear, need a certificate of conformity under Type 3 (ISO/IEC 17067) from a SASO-accepted body.
What certificate do other textiles need in Saudi Arabia?
A certificate of conformity under Type 1a from a SASO-accepted body, with a technical file holding the supplier's declaration and lab reports on hazardous chemicals.
Which chemicals are restricted in textiles in Saudi Arabia?
The regulation calls for tests for formaldehyde, heavy metals, phenol compounds and suspect dyes, carcinogenic amines, flame retardants, pesticide residues, phthalates, and organochlorine and organotin compounds, among others.
Is footwear covered by the Saudi textile regulation?
No. Footwear has its own SASO regulation, the Technical Regulation for Footwear and their Accessories, with labels in Arabic or Arabic and English.
Can a textile label carry religious text in Saudi Arabia?
No. The regulation prohibits Quranic verses and the name of God on the label.
Are medical textiles covered by the SASO regulation?
No. Products designed for medical purposes or with medical claims are excluded, as they fall under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Saudi Arabia?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including SFDA and SASO 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 Saudi Arabia and what your paperwork needs to show.

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