Clothing exported to Canada faces labelling rules that differ from both the US and the EU. Besides fibre content and care instructions, Canada mandates bilingual English and French wording, and Quebec adds stricter rules on how French must be displayed. A non-compliant Canadian clothing label can lead to customs holds, retailer rejections and even fines.

This guide sets out the Canadian labelling framework, the information that must appear, the bilingual and Quebec requirements, care instructions and washing symbols, how Canada differs from the US and EU, plus sampling and compliance review tips.

1. The Canadian Labelling Framework

  • Textile Labelling Act — requires textile products to state fibre content and dealer identity
  • Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations — set out label format, permitted generic fibre names and advertising claims
  • Care Labelling Regulations — require care instructions in written form, permanently attached to the garment
  • Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) — covers flammability performance, drawstrings on children's clothing and similar safety rules
  • Provincial language law — Quebec's Charter of the French Language, as amended by Bill 96, adds its own rules for products and packaging

2. What Must Appear on the Label

Item Canadian requirement Common mistake
Fibre content Listed in descending order by weight, using the generic fibre names permitted by the rules Made-up names, or percentages left out
Dealer identity Name and address of the Canadian dealer or importer Only the Chinese factory address, with no Canadian responsible party
Country of origin State the country of manufacture truthfully Incorrect origin, or missing altogether
Care instructions Written wording in both English and French, permanently attached Symbols only, with no written wording
Language English and French displayed equally English only — unacceptable to regulators and French-speaking consumers

3. Bilingual Requirements and Quebec Bill 96

The federal bilingual requirement applies to textiles sold anywhere in Canada. In Quebec, French must also be clearly visible on labels and packaging and, in most cases, markedly predominant. Since Bill 96 came into force these rules have been tightened step by step, covering product information, packaging and commercial documents.

  • French type should generally be no smaller than the other language, and should not appear only on the back of the hang tag
  • Mirror the English and French layouts so that no care paragraph exists in English alone
  • If the brand supplies its own French copy, have it reviewed once by a Quebec-based agent or French-language reviewer

4. Care Instructions and Washing Symbols

Canadian rules require care instructions in written form, permanently attached to the garment, which differs from the US approach where symbols may lead. Symbols are a useful supplement, but industry practice is not to rely on them alone — especially when a garment sells in both the US and Canada, where written wording plus symbols is the safe combination.

  • Care labels go through many wash cycles, so the ink must resist rubbing and fading; coated or satin woven labels work best
  • English and French can run on two lines or in two columns, but keep the type size readable rather than squeezing to save space
  • Children's clothing must also meet flammability and drawstring safety rules, and the label should avoid misleading safety claims
  • When there is a lot of text, put fibre content on the main label and care plus contact details on the care label to spread the layout load

5. Canada vs the US and the EU

Item United States European Union Canada
Language English Official language of each member state English and French together
Fibre content Mandatory, descending by weight Mandatory, descending by weight Mandatory, descending by weight
Care instructions Symbols lead, wording supplements Washing symbols lead Written English and French required; symbols supplement
Responsible party A US-based business or an RN number EU-based responsible person and address Canadian dealer name and address
Special rules FTC rules, children's sleepwear flammability Chemicals rules, general product safety regulation Quebec French-language rules, which need close checking

6. Sampling and Compliance Review Tips

  • Build all four language versions in one go — English and French are mandatory, while Chinese and Spanish help internal communication and Latin American reuse
  • Allow enough label area on the care label so the type does not shrink to an unreadable size
  • Before bulk production, get the Canadian importer to confirm in writing the dealer name and address to be printed
  • Rules are updated over time — review the latest official requirements before each bulk order rather than reusing an old layout
  • At sampling stage, check ink wash resistance, edge fraying and that no wording is missing or wrong
💡 Tip: Compliance labelling is a design-once, reuse-forever task. Get the bilingual English-French version right the first time and reorders only need a fibre or care update — saving a lot of rework and back-and-forth.

Related Articles

Need bilingual English-French labels for the Canadian market? Send us your fibre content, care instructions and dealer details — we handle layout, sampling and bulk production.

Ask about Canada label compliance →