Clothing Hangtag Requirements for Export: EU, USA, Middle East, Russia

A clothing hangtag serves two distinct purposes that operate on completely different logic: brand communication (which you control entirely) and regulatory compliance (which the destination market controls). Getting the brand side right is a design brief. Getting the compliance side right is a legal obligation — and the requirements vary significantly by market.

This guide covers the mandatory hangtag content requirements for the four markets we source for most frequently: the European Union, the United States, the Middle East (GCC countries), and Russia. If you are producing a single global hangtag or market-specific variants, this is the baseline to design from.

The Two-Layer Framework

Before getting into market specifics, it helps to separate hangtag content into its two layers:

• Brand presentation layer — Logo, brand name, product name or SKU, price (optional), season, care symbols, size, material composition, country of origin (Made in China), barcode or QR code. These are standard across markets — your choice of what to include and how to present them.
• Regulatory compliance layer — Specific information that particular markets legally require to be present on the garment or its labelling, in specific formats, languages, and sometimes with mandatory wording. These are non-negotiable.

Technically, many of the regulatory requirements apply to the care label (the sewn-in woven or printed label), not the hangtag. But for brands that include care and fibre information on hangtags — as many do — the compliance layer applies to the hangtag as well.

European Union Requirements

EU textile labelling is governed by Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, which applies across all 27 member states. Key mandatory requirements:

Fibre composition

Full fibre composition must be stated, with percentage by weight of each fibre listed in descending order. Generic fibre names must be used (as per Annex I of the Regulation) — you cannot use brand names like Tencel instead of Lyocell. Minimum percentage thresholds: fibres under 3% individually can be grouped as "other fibres" with their total percentage.

Example: Cotton 60% / Polyester 35% / Elastane 5%

Single-fibre garments may use "100% [fibre name]" or "pure [fibre name]".

Language requirements

Information must be provided in the official language(s) of the country of sale. If you are selling across multiple EU markets with a single product batch, you have two options: produce market-specific hangtags with the relevant language, or produce a single multi-language hangtag covering all target markets. The latter is common for brands distributed through pan-European distributors.

Country of origin

Not universally mandatory in the EU for textiles (unlike food), but widely expected by consumers and increasingly specified by retail buyers. "Made in China" is straightforward.

Care instructions

Not legally mandated in the EU Textile Regulation, but effectively required by market practice. ISO 3758 care symbols are the universal standard. If you include care text (as opposed to symbols only), it must be in the correct market language.

United States Requirements

US textile labelling is governed by the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (TFPIA) and the Care Labeling Rule, both enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Fibre content

Mandatory. Fibre names must be the generic names as defined by the FTC (e.g., "cotton," "polyester," "nylon" — not brand names). Listed in order of predominance by weight. Fibres under 5% may be listed as "other fiber."

Country of origin

Mandatory under US Customs regulations. Must state where the garment was manufactured — "Made in China" is the standard statement. For garments made from US-origin fabric but assembled in China, specific rules apply.

Manufacturer / importer identification

The name of the manufacturer, importer, or a registered identification number (RN/WPL number issued by the FTC) must appear on the label. Many international brands use their registered US importer's RN number if they don't have one themselves.

Care instructions

Mandatory under the FTC Care Labeling Rule. Unlike the EU, the US requires English-language care instructions to be permanently attached to the garment. Care symbols must be accompanied by English text explanations, or the symbols alone may be used only if they conform to ASTM D5489 standards.

Language

All mandatory information must be in English. Additional languages may also appear.

Middle East / GCC Requirements

The six Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait) have progressively harmonised their labelling requirements. Most relevant standard: GSO 1818 (GCC standard for textile products labelling).

Language requirements

Arabic is mandatory on all consumer product labels. English may accompany Arabic but cannot replace it. For garments, fibre composition, care instructions, and country of origin must appear in Arabic in legible, clearly printed form.

Practical implication for hangtag design

Arabic is written right-to-left. Hangtags with Arabic content need careful layout work to ensure the Arabic text reads correctly and flows in the right direction. This must be reviewed by a native Arabic speaker before production approval — machine translation is not acceptable for compliance text. Our team facilitates this review as part of the sourcing process.

Size labelling

GCC markets expect both local sizing conventions and international (S/M/L or EU sizing). Including a size conversion table on the back of the hangtag is standard practice for European brands entering Gulf retail.

Russia Requirements

Russia operates under Technical Regulation TR CU 017/2011 of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which applies to textile products. Requirements include:

• Russian language mandatory — All label information must be provided in Russian. English alone is insufficient.
• Fibre composition — Full composition in Russian, using Russian fibre terminology.
• Country of origin — Mandatory, in Russian: "Произведено в Китае" (Made in China).
• Care symbols — ISO care symbols with Russian text explanations.
• Size — Russian size designations or conversion to Russian sizing conventions.
• Manufacturer details — Name and address of manufacturer and importer/authorised representative in the EAEU, in Russian.

Canada Requirements

Canada's Textile Labelling Act requires bilingual labelling (English and French) for all consumer textile products. Fibre composition, care instructions, and dealer identification must appear in both official languages. Country of origin is required. French quality on compliance text must be professional — not machine-translated.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using brand names for fibres — "Tencel" must be "Lyocell"; "Lycra" must be "Elastane." This applies to both EU and US markets.
• Omitting percentages — "Cotton blend" is not compliant in any major market. Full percentage breakdown is required.
• Machine-translated Arabic or Russian — Compliance text in non-Latin scripts must be verified by native speakers. Errors can cause customs holds or retailer rejection.
• Missing importer identification for the US — Many brands forget that the US requires either the manufacturer name or a registered RN/WPL number on the label.
• Single-language hangtag for multi-market distribution — If you distribute across EU countries, plan for multi-language from the start — retroactive relabelling is expensive.

How We Handle This at AsiaAgent.pro

Before approving any hangtag artwork for production, we systematically check the design against the compliance requirements for your target markets. We maintain up-to-date reference sheets for each major market and can prepare a compliance checklist specific to your distribution map.

For markets requiring non-Latin scripts (Arabic, Russian), we facilitate professional translation and native-speaker review before the file goes to the factory. We also review the final pre-production proof for language direction, font choice, and text size to ensure legibility meets minimum standards.