How to Import Clothing: Customs and Labeling Rules

To import clothing into the United States legally, you have to satisfy three sets of rules at the same time: customs (HTS classification, duties, and country-of-origin marking), textile labeling (the FTC’s fiber-content and care-label rules), and product safety (CPSC flammability). Apparel is one of the most heavily regulated consumer categories at the border, and a shipment that clears customs can still be held or recalled for a missing fiber label or an untested children’s garment. This guide walks through each layer and how they fit together.

Classify the Garment and Plan for Duty

Every garment must be classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) before it can be entered. Knit apparel falls in Chapter 61 and woven apparel in Chapter 62, and the exact code turns on fiber content, construction, and gender/age. Classification is not a formality: textile and apparel duty rates are historically among the highest in the tariff schedule, and the code you declare drives the rate, any trade-remedy duties, and which agency rules apply.

The importer of record — not the customs broker — is legally responsible for declaring the right code under the duty of “reasonable care” (19 U.S.C. § 1484). Getting HTS classification right is the single most consequential decision in an apparel entry.

One practical change worth noting: as of August 29, 2025, the Section 321 “de minimis” exemption that let parcels under $800 enter duty-free was suspended, and it remained suspended as of mid-2026. Treat low-value apparel shipments as needing a formal or informal entry with full classification, not a free pass.

Mark the Country of Origin Correctly

Imported clothing must be marked with its country of origin under Section 304 of the Tariff Act (19 U.S.C. § 1304). The marking has to be conspicuous, legible, indelible, and permanent, and it must name the country in English — for garments, that means a sewn-in label, not a hangtag that a shopper removes.

Textile origin has its own rules. The country of origin for most apparel is determined under 19 C.F.R. § 102.21, which generally looks to where the fabric was cut and sewn (the “wholly assembled” rule) rather than where the finished garment shipped from. Get this wrong and CBP can hold the goods until they are re-marked, and assess a marking duty of 10% ad valorem under 19 U.S.C. § 1304(i) — a penalty that “accrued at the time of importation and cannot be remitted.” See our guide to country-of-origin marking for the mechanics.

Meet the FTC Textile Labeling Rules

Separate from customs marking, the Federal Trade Commission requires a content label on most clothing under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (TFPIA) and its rules at 16 C.F.R. Part 303 (wool and fur have their own acts). Every covered garment needs a label showing three things.

The label must be securely attached and, for items with a neck, sewn into the neck. A separate care label is required under the FTC Care Labeling Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 423), giving the buyer at least one safe method of cleaning the garment. Importers commonly apply for an RN through the FTC so they can use a short number instead of printing a full company name on every label.

Pass the CPSC Flammability and Children’s-Product Rules

Clothing is a regulated product under the Consumer Product Safety Commission. General wearing apparel must meet the Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles (16 C.F.R. Part 1610), issued under the Flammable Fabrics Act. The standard sorts fabrics into three classes; Class 1 (normal flammability) is acceptable, while Class 3 — the most rapidly and intensely burning fabrics — is prohibited for use in clothing.

Children’s clothing is held to a higher bar:

• Children’s sleepwear (sizes 0–14) must meet the stricter flammability standards at 16 C.F.R. Parts 1615 and 1616.
• Any children’s apparel is a “children’s product,” which requires third-party testing by a CPSC-accepted lab and a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) based on that testing.
• Drawstrings on children’s upper outerwear are treated as a substantial hazard and routinely trigger recalls.

Adult general apparel does not require a certificate, but the importer still must be able to show the garment meets the 1610 standard if CBP or CPSC asks.

Watch for Forced-Labor Exposure

Apparel is one of CBP’s top forced-labor enforcement targets. Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, there is a rebuttable presumption that goods made wholly or in part in the Xinjiang region of China — including cotton and cotton garments — are barred from entry under 19 U.S.C. § 1307, unless the importer can show by clear and convincing evidence that no forced labor was involved. Apparel has been among the most-detained categories under the law, so map your cotton and yarn supply chain back to its source before you ship.

Keep Your Records for Five Years

Import records — entry summaries, invoices, classification and valuation backup, test reports, and supplier documentation — must be retained for five years from the date of entry under 19 U.S.C. § 1508. CBP can open a customs audit years after the goods clear, and an importer who cannot produce records faces penalties independent of whether the underlying entry was correct.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to import clothing into the U.S.?

A correct HTS classification and entry, country-of-origin marking under 19 U.S.C. § 1304, an FTC fiber-content and care label on the garment, and compliance with the CPSC flammability standard (plus a Children’s Product Certificate for kids’ clothing). Ocean shipments also need an Importer Security Filing.

What has to appear on a clothing label?

Under the FTC’s textile rules, the generic fiber content by percentage and weight, the responsible company’s name or its FTC-issued RN number, and the country of origin. A separate care label giving a safe cleaning method is also required.

Are children’s clothes treated differently?

Yes. Children’s apparel is a regulated children’s product that requires third-party testing and a Children’s Product Certificate, and children’s sleepwear must meet stricter flammability standards than adult clothing.

How high are duties on imported clothing?

Apparel duty rates are among the highest in the U.S. tariff schedule and vary widely by fiber and construction, so the rate depends entirely on the specific HTS code. Because the de minimis exemption was suspended in 2025, even small parcels now generally owe duty.

Importing apparel cleanly means lining up customs, FTC labeling, and CPSC safety rules before the first container ships. Reidel Law Firm helps importers map those obligations on flat-fee terms, with a plain-English compliance memo and direct attorney access. Get an import compliance memo.