US Clothing Label Compliance Guide: Label Requirements to Know Before Exporting to America

The United States is one of the largest apparel markets in the world — and one of the strictest when it comes to labeling rules and enforcement. Many Chinese exporters only discover problems at inspection or listing time: missing fiber content, no RN number, non-compliant care instructions. The result ranges from returns and re-labeling to goods detained and fined by the FTC or US Customs. This US clothing label compliance guide helps you get right, in one pass, what must be printed on your main labels, care labels and size labels.

1. Who Regulates US Clothing Labels: The FTC and the Legal Framework

Clothing labels in the US are mainly regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, with core rules including 16 CFR Part 303 (fiber content and identity labels). Care instructions fall under the Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423. Country of origin marking is enforced by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under 19 CFR Part 134. Three sets of requirements, three kinds of labels — all mandatory.

2. Fiber Content & Identity Labels (16 CFR Part 303)

Is this garment 100% cotton or a cotton-polyester blend? Consumers have the right to see the true composition before buying. The fiber content label must be permanently sewn inside the garment and list each fiber in descending order of percentage by weight.

• Generic fiber names: use FTC-recognized generic names (cotton, polyester, nylon); trademarked fiber names may only be added as a supplement
• RN number instead of full company name: manufacturers, importers or retailers may identify themselves on the label with a registered identification number (RN) instead of printing the full name and address
• One label per garment: every garment needs its own fiber content label; multi-pack items may be marked on the outer package, but individually sold pieces must each be labeled

3. Country of Origin Labels: the 'Made in' Marking

Garments exported to the US must be clearly marked with their country of origin, such as Made in China, usually sewn at the neckline or side seam next to the fiber content label. For apparel, the place where the fabric is cut and sewn is generally treated as the country of origin, so garments sewn in China are usually marked Made in China.

• The marking position must be permanent and visible to the consumer — ideally printed together with the main label so it is never skipped in production
• Some US retailers also require the importer or distributor information on the label — confirm with the buyer before ordering

4. The Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR Part 423)

Most garments must have a permanent care label sewn inside stating at least one safe washing method, plus warnings about treatments that would harm the garment (such as no bleach, ironing temperature limits, dry-cleaning cautions). US rules permit internationally recognized care symbols, but pairing symbols with words is friendlier to consumers and leaves less room for ambiguity.

5. Extra Requirements: Children's Wear & E-commerce Platforms

Children's clothing exported to the US must also meet CPSC's CPSIA requirements (lead and phthalate limits, Children's Product Certificate, etc.) — far more complex than adult apparel. On the e-commerce side, platforms like Amazon usually require compliant information on every variant page (color/size), and inaccurate size labels directly inflate return rates.

6. Get Compliance Right at Sampling — Not at Inspection

Once fiber content, RN, origin and care text are woven or printed, revising a version costs money. The easiest path: send the complete label copy to your trims supplier before ordering, check wording, font size and legibility on the woven label sample, and verify symbol sharpness and wash durability on the care label sample — freeze compliance at the sampling stage.

Dongguan TAGE Packaging serves many US and European brands and importers: satin and taffeta main labels can be woven with fiber content and RN numbers, care labels are laid out per 16 CFR 423 with multilingual text and care symbols, and hang tags carry the brand message. Sampling takes 3–7 days — approve a physical sample before bulk production, and get US-compliant labels right the first time.