India's Textiles Committee under the Ministry of Textiles notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) on July 16 (G/TBT/N/IND/439), planning to implement the Textiles, Apparel and Made-ups (Labelling and Marking) Regulations, 2025. The regulations aim to protect consumer rights through unified labeling requirements while aligning India's apparel and made-ups standards with global practices. The comment period will remain open until September 13, and the regulations are expected to take effect officially on July 1, 2027.

The new rules cover all apparel, accessories, protective clothing and home textiles sold on the Indian market, such as towels, bedding, curtains and quilt covers, but exclude fabrics, grey cloth, yarn, custom-made clothing and certain categories involving industrial or technical textiles. Every product placed on the market must bear a durable and non-transferable label clearly stating fiber composition, country of origin, manufacturer/importer/brand name (and safety-related instructions where applicable). Labels must be bilingual in English and Hindi and printed in Devanagari script. Size, fit, shrinkage rate and special functional descriptions are voluntary labeling items, but claims such as "fireproof" and "organic" must also comply. In addition, the regulations add traceability requirements: products can be linked via carriers such as barcodes or QR codes to complete manufacturer and supply chain information, achieving full-chain traceability.

Compliance inspection mechanisms will be carried out by the Textiles Committee and laboratories recognized by it or holding ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. Regulatory authorities will conduct random inspections from time to time, covering manufacturers, buyers, brands and retailers. Non-compliant goods may be investigated and handled under Section 17 of the Textiles Committee Act, 1963, or may trigger suspension/revocation of certification and issuance of recall recommendations.

A buffer period is provided: goods produced or imported before the official implementation can still be sold normally for six months; after that period, mandatory supervision and statutory warnings will begin, followed by another six-month rectification period. If standards are still not met, fines will be imposed. The government reserves the right to extend the transition phase as appropriate.

This notification serves as a profound reminder for domestic textile enterprises exporting to India. Industry players advise traders to verify factory labels immediately, especially ensuring that blended fabric composition and country-of-origin markings are correct, truthfully embedding QR code or barcode traceability systems, and monitoring the progress of scheduled testing with the Indian Textiles Committee or BIS-approved laboratories to avoid falling into a passive customs clearance situation after the new law takes effect. The new rules clearly reflect the growing interconnected role of importing countries' standards management models in global second-hand clothing trade and finished product supply chain linkages, and also highlight the necessary weight of compliance and self-discipline under the current multilateral trade order.

Source: Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce Early Warning Information India Notifies the Textiles, Apparel and Made-ups (Labelling and Marking) Regulations · Originally published on 2026-08-17