A garment can be perfectly cut, sewn, and printed and still be illegal to sell.

Not because of the product, but because of a two-inch tag most founders treat as an afterthought.

Labeling is one of the few parts of apparel that is written into law.

Customs officers check it. Retailers reject it.

Regulators fine it.

And a founder importing from a factory abroad is usually the one legally responsible, not the factory.

The good news: the rules are finite, and once you know them, they rarely change.

This guide covers the whole picture, so you can label a first run with confidence:

  • The four facts every label must carry and how to write each one correctly.
  • How the rules shift across the United States, the EU, the UK, and Canada, and which one you actually have to follow.
  • The two global care-symbol systems and when words are required by law.
  • Where the label goes, how it must be attached, and what makes it “permanent.”
  • A ready-to-use compliance checklist you can run before every production order.

Scope & disclaimer:

This is a practical guide for apparel founders, written from a manufacturer’s perspective, not legal advice.

Labeling law depends on your product, your fabric, and every market you sell into.

Confirm your final label against the destination market and, for anything unusual, a compliance lab or specialist. We are not lawyers.

01:

What must every label show?

Strip away the jurisdictions for a moment.

Almost every labeling law on earth is asking for the same short list of facts.

If your label answers all four, you are close to compliant almost anywhere.

Miss one, and you have a problem in at least one market.

The Four-Fact Label:

Every compliant garment label answers four questions:

  • What is it made of?
  • Where was it made?
  • Who is responsible for it?
  • How do you care for it?

Content, origin, identity, and care.

Learn these four, and the country rules become small adjustments, not new systems.

Fact 1: Fabric content (what it’s made of)?

This is the one fact that is mandatory in every major market, including the EU and UK, where care and origin are not.

Get the format right, and you rarely have to touch it again.

  • List every fabric at 5% or more, by its generic name, as a percentage of total weight. Example: 80% cotton, 20% polyester.
  • Descending order by weight. The largest fiber comes first.
  • Use official generic names. “Elastane,” not the brand “Lycra.” “Viscose,” not “visc.” Shorthand like “polycotton” is not permitted.
  • Single-fiber garments can be labeled “100%,” “pure,” or “all” only if they truly are one fiber (small technically unavoidable amounts are tolerated).
  • Small decorative or elastic parts can be excluded with a note like “exclusive of decoration” or “exclusive of elastic” within the legal thresholds.

Fabric content is the fact founders most often get wrong, usually by trusting a supplier’s word instead of a real composition.

If you are still choosing your blend, start with our fabric weight (GSM) guide so the number on the tag matches the cloth in the garment.

Fact 2: Country of origin (where it was made)?

Origin is where a Pakistan-based brand needs to pay attention.

For most textiles sold in the US and for anything crossing a customs border into the US, EU, UK, or Canada, the country of origin must be marked.

  • Manufactured in Pakistan and sold as-is: the label reads “Made in Pakistan.”
  • Origin marking must be conspicuous, legible, and permanent and must survive normal handling.
  • Hybrid production has strict wording. A garment sewn in the US from imported fabric, for example, must say “Made in USA of Imported Fabric.” Do not claim a “Made in” country you cannot defend.

Origin is not just a legal box.

For a Sialkot-made brand, it is a story worth telling well.

If you are deciding where to produce, see where to manufacture your streetwear.

Fact 3: Manufacturer or dealer identity (who’s responsible)?

The label must identify the business standing behind the garment.

There are two ways to do it:

  • Full legal business name. Always acceptable. This is what most foreign brands use.
  • A registered number. In the US, this is the free RN (Registered Nurse Identification Number) from the FTC, which takes up less space than a full name. It is optional. Canada uses a separate CA number, but only Canadian dealers can hold one, so a Pakistani brand selling into Canada uses its legal name or the Canadian importer’s identity.

Fact 4: Care instructions (how to look after it)?

Care labels are legally required on apparel in the United States.

In the EU and UK, it is technically not mandatory, but in practice retailers demand it, and it slashes “it shrank / it faded” returns.

Treat it as required everywhere.

  • At minimum, give a washing method and a drying method.
  • Add a warning for anything a customer might reasonably get wrong that would damage the garment (for example, “Wash inside out,” “Do not iron print,” “Close zips before washing”).
  • Instructions must be honest. You need a reasonable basis for them, meaning the garment should actually survive the care you print.

How you express care, in symbols, words, or both, depends on the market.

That is the whole of Section 3.

Factory note:

On our floor in Sialkot, the four facts get locked at the tech pack stage, before a single label is woven or printed.

Fixing a wrong fabric percentage or a missing origin line after a run is printed means re-labeling the whole order by hand.

It is far cheaper to be right on the spec sheet than right on the second attempt.

02:

Region-specific labeling rules:

Here is the mistake that causes most confusion:

Founders ask, “What does the law in my country require?”

The label does not care where you are. It cares where the garment is sold.

The rule

Label for the destination, not the desk:

You comply with the rules of every market you sell into.

A brand run from Sialkot selling to US customers follows US rules.

Selling to Germany too? The German-market garments also follow EU rules.

When you sell across markets, the safe move is to build one label that satisfies the strictest destination.

The table below is the quick comparison.

The notes underneath explain the traps.

Requirement United States EU UK Canada
Fabric content Required Required Required Required
Care instructions Required (words) Not mandatory* Not mandatory* Expected (ASTM)
Country of origin Required Not by textile law* Not by textile law* If import is stated*
Maker/dealer identity Required (name or RN) Not by textile law Not by textile law Required (name or CA)
Language English Official language(s) of the market English English + French
Governing rule 16 CFR 303 & 423 Reg (EU) 1007/2011 2012 Regs (mirrors EU) Textile Labelling Act

*Not required by the core textile-labelling law, but customs marking rules, retailer requirements, or other legislation usually bring it back in. Treat these as effectively required.

United States: the strictest, so build here first

The US has two rules.

The Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (16 CFR 303) governs content, origin, and identity.

The Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423) governs care.

Together they demand all four facts, in English, on a permanent label.

US care instructions must include words; symbols alone are not enough.

If you build a label that satisfies the US, you have most of the world covered.

Selling into the US is its own project.

See selling streetwear into the US market for the wider import picture.

EU: Fabric composition is the whole legal core

Regulation (EU) 1007/2011 is narrower than people expect.

The only thing it strictly mandates is fabric composition (plus a “Contains non-textile parts of animal origin” line if you use leather patches, real down, horn buttons, and so on).

It applies to products that are at least 80% textile by weight.

Two catches trip up founders:

  • Language. The label must appear in the official language(s) of the country where it is sold. Selling in Germany means “German” on the label; France means “French.”
  • What’s coming. The EU is modernizing these rules, and the Digital Product Passport (a scannable QR/NFC code linking to product data) is on the way for textiles. It will sit alongside the fiber label, not replace it. Build with it in mind.

Care labeling and origin are not required by 1007/2011 itself, but member states and retailers routinely require them

Do not ship an EU order bare.

Our EU & UK market entry guide covers the rest.

UK: nearly identical to the EU, post-Brexit

The UK carried the EU rules almost word for word into its own 2012 regulations.

Fabric composition is mandatory; care and origin are strongly recommended rather than required.

One extra to watch: nightwear flammability carries its own labeling requirement in the UK, which matters if your line ever includes loungewear or sleep sets.

Canada: bilingual is the headline

Canada’s defining rule is language.

Mandatory information (fabric content and dealer identity) must appear in both English and French.

Fabrics are listed at 5% or more, like in the US.

Identity uses a legal name or a Canadian CA number.

Country of origin is required by textile law only when you represent the product as imported, but the Canada Border Services Agency requires origin marking at the border regardless, so it goes on.

And if you sell into Quebec, Bill 96 pushes French to be at least equally, often more, prominent.

Practical shortcut:

Selling to several of these markets from day one?

Don’t design four labels. Design one that carries full fabric content, “Made in Pakistan,” your legal business name, and clear care in words plus symbols, with French added if Canada is in your plan.

That single label clears the US, satisfies the EU/UK core, and only needs the bilingual layer for Canada.

03:

Care symbols and instructions:

Care symbols look like a single universal language. They are not.

There are two systems; they are similar but not identical, and the difference decides whether you can drop the words.

The two systems:

  • ISO 3758 / GINETEX: The international system, used across the EU, the UK, Asia, Australia, and most of the world. These symbols are permitted to stand alone; no words needed.
  • ASTM D5489, the North American system, used in the US and Canada. Visually almost the same, but in the US the FTC requires written instructions. Symbols can be added, but they cannot replace the words.

Note one commercial detail: the GINETEX symbols are registered trademarks, and formal use is licensed through national committees.

In practice, your label supplier handles this, but it is worth knowing the artwork is not simply public domain.

The five symbol families, always in this order

Both systems use five base shapes, and GINETEX fixes their sequence.

Keeping the order right is part of being correct.

Order Symbol Shape What the marks mean
1 Washing Washtub Number inside = max temperature. Bar(s) under it = gentler cycle. A hand = hand wash. Cross through = do not wash.
2 Bleaching Triangle Empty = any bleach allowed. Diagonal lines = non-chlorine only. Cross through = do not bleach.
3 Drying Square Circle inside = tumble dry (dots = heat level). Lines inside = natural drying (line / flat / drip). Cross through = do not tumble dry.
4 Ironing Iron Dots = temperature (one low, two medium, three high). Cross through = do not iron.
5 Professional care Circle Letter inside (P / F / W) = the cleaning process a professional should use. Cross through = do not dry-clean.

A cross (X) through any symbol always means “do not.” Order runs: wash → bleach → dry → iron → professional care.

How to write care instructions that work?

Whether you use words, symbols, or both, the instruction has to be correct and complete.

A few rules keep you safe:

  • Cover the whole garment. If a hoodie has a non-removable lining or trim, the care must be safe for all of it, not just the main fabric.
  • Detachable parts with different care get their own label. A zip-out liner that washes differently needs its own instruction.
  • Warn, don’t assume. If a print can’t be ironed or a garment must be washed inside out, say so. Silence is treated as permission.
  • Be conservative but honest. Over-cautious care (“hand wash cold”) frustrates customers; care that the garment can’t survive gets you complaints. Test first.

Streetwear reality:

Heavyweight fleece, screen and puff prints, garment dyes, and heavy embroidery are exactly the constructions that fail generic care advice.

Cold wash, inside out, no tumble dry, and don’t iron directly on the print are sane defaults for most printed streetwear, but confirm it against a real wash test on your actual fabric and decoration before it goes on the tag.

04:

Placing and attaching labels correctly:

A label with perfect content still fails compliance if it falls off, fades, or hides.

The law cares as much about durability and visibility as about wording.

The test:

The Permanence Test:

Ask one question of every required label: will it stay attached and stay legible for the useful life of the garment?

If a customer can lose it in the wash or it fades to nothing after ten cycles, it is not a compliant label, no matter what it says.

Where do labels go?

  • Neck or waist. The primary required information typically sits at the center back neck (tops, hoodies) or the inside waistband (bottoms). This is the expected, conspicuous location.
  • The side seam is fine for care. Many brands move the longer content-and-care label into the left side seam for comfort, keeping only a small brand tag at the neck. That is acceptable as long as the required facts are present and findable.
  • Don’t bury it. Origin marking in particular must not be hidden by later attachments, other tags, or packaging.

How must they be attached?

  • Permanent, not a hangtag. A swing tag or sticker does not satisfy the requirement. The care and content information must be on a label sewn or otherwise permanently affixed.
  • Legible for life. Print and stitching must survive the care the garment endures. Cheap heat transfer that cracks off is a compliance risk, not just a quality one.
  • All required facts must be present at the point of sale. They can be spread across a couple of labels, but the customer must be able to find them all before buying.

Printed vs woven, and comfort:

Two practical choices:

  • Printed (satin/cotton) labels handle long text and multi-language care well and are cheaper. Best for the content-and-care label, especially bilingual Canadian layouts that need more room.
  • Woven labels feel premium and hold up beautifully but fit less text. Best as the brand/neck tag.
  • Tagless / printed-on-garment neck labels are popular in streetwear for comfort. They are allowed, but the print must be permanent and legible for the garment’s life, which is harder than it looks. Test the wash durability before committing to a whole run.

Factory note:

The two failures we see most from new brands are a heat-pressed care print that starts cracking by the tenth wash and a beautiful woven neck label that is too small to legally hold the fabric content, origin, and identity, so those facts get dropped instead of moved to a side-seam label.

Decide label type and placement before you finalize artwork, not after.

Foundations · Tool

05The labeling compliance checklist

Run this before every production order. Start with the core four (needed everywhere), then open the market panel for each destination you sell into. Tick as you confirm.

Core four — required in every market
Selling into the United States
Selling into the EU
Selling into the UK
Selling into Canada
Before you print the run

Frequently asked questions

In the United States, yes, the FTC Care Labeling Rule requires a permanent care label on apparel.

In the EU and UK, a care label is not strictly mandatory (fabric composition is), but retailers almost always require it, and it cuts returns. Canada expects care information in practice.

Treat care as required everywhere.

For products sold in the US, yes.

For goods imported into the US, EU, UK, or Canada, customs also requires origin marking.

A brand manufacturing in Sialkot would label garments “Made in Pakistan.”

Only the specific “Made in USA” claims carry extra restrictions.

In the EU, the UK, and most of the world, the ISO 3758 / GINETEX symbols can stand alone.

In the United States, the FTC requires written instructions, so symbols may be added but cannot replace the words.

Canada uses the ASTM symbol system alongside text.

No. An RN is an optional free number from the FTC that can replace your full business name on the label to save space.

You can always use your legal business name instead.

Canada’s equivalent, the CA number, is only available to Canadian dealers.

Not automatically.

When you import and sell the garment, you are usually the party legally responsible, not the factory.

Always review and approve the exact label content and physical proof against your destination markets yourself before the run.

Required information typically sits at the center-back neck (tops) or inside the waistband (bottoms).

Longer content-and-care labels are commonly moved to the left side seam for comfort.

That is fine as long as every required fact is present, permanent, and findable at the point of sale.

From the manual

This is one chapter of The Complete Streetwear Manufacturing Guide

These chapters cover taking a streetwear brand from idea to shipped units, costing, sourcing, tech packs, QC, freight, and launch. All written from the Sialkot factory floor.

Open The Full Guide

Primary sources

This guide is general information for apparel founders, written from a manufacturer’s viewpoint, and is not legal advice. Labeling obligations vary by product, fiber, and market. Confirm your final label against every market you sell into, and consult a compliance specialist for unusual products (technical fibers, protective wear, children’s items). Regulations change; notably, the EU is revising its textile labelling rules and introducing the Digital Product Passport, so re-check before each new market entry.

On the floor · Sialkot

Written by

Faizan Ahmad

Chief Apparel Technologist & Head of Manufacturing, Gibben Clothing · Sialkot, Pakistan

Faizan leads production at Gibben Clothing, a cut-and-sew streetwear manufacturer in Sialkot, with 8+ years turning raw yarn into retail-ready hoodies, tees, bottoms, jackets, tracksuits, and headwear. He doesn’t just write about clothing; he works the floor, so every guide here is grounded in real fabric behavior, QC standards, and production data from live runs.