Textile labelling rules for retailers in Northern Ireland
Retailers in Northern Ireland must follow strict textile labelling rules. Understand what counts as a textile product, required fibre information, exemptions and enforcement.
Businesses that manufacture, import or sell textiles in the UK must follow specific labelling and marketing rules. These rules ensure consumers receive clear, reliable information about the fibres and materials used in textile products.
This guide explains what counts as textile product, what information textile labels must include, exemptions to the rules, requirements for online and advertised textiles and how regulations are enforced in Northern Ireland.
Why textile labelling matters for retailers
UK and EU textile labelling laws require clear fibre‑composition information on products so consumers can assess quality and retailers can demonstrate compliance.
Textile labelling requirements aim to inform consumers and businesses about the materials used in fabrics. When customers know what fibres a product contains, they can assess its quality, durability and suitability.
For textiles and clothing, specific legal rules set out what information must be shown on labels, packaging, and in any advertisements or online product descriptions.
In the UK and European Union (EU), listing a product’s fibre composition is mandatory. Other details – such as sizing, origin and care instructions – may be included but are optional.
The Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012 set out the legal requirements for textile labelling in the UK, including how these rules are enforced and the penalties for not following them. Under Regulation 5 it is an offence to sell a textile product that doesn’t meet these labelling standards. The regulation also outlines which products and businesses are exempt from these rules.
Under the Windsor Framework, textile labelling requirements in Northern Ireland continue to align with EU Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, including rules on permitted fibre names and how composition must be presented.
Retailers must be able to demonstrate that they took all reasonable steps to comply with these regulations. This includes ensuring the accuracy of information provided by staff as well as manufacturers and suppliers.
What counts as a textile product
The regulations apply to any products made entirely from textile fibres, whether raw, semi-worked, manufactured or made-up. This applies no matter how the fibres are mixed or put together.
In addition, the following items are considered textile products:
- items with at least 80% fibre content by weight
- furniture coverings, umbrella coverings and sunshade coverings with at least 80% textile content
- multi-layer floor coverings, mattress coverings and camping goods coverings where the upper layer includes at least 80% textile fibres
- products with textile components that are integral to their structure
Exemption for customised items
The regulations exclude bespoke products, such as one-off items made by self-employed tailors or independent makers, even if made from donated or gifted fabrics.
Products that are exempt
There are some products that do not require fibre content labelling requirements, including:
- textile watch straps
- labels and badges
- tea cosy covers
- make-up or toiletry bag
- sleeve protectors
- artificial flowers
- pin cushions
- painted canvas
What a textile label must include
If an item contains more than one fibre type, each component must be labelled with its correct composition – for example, wool 80%, cotton 20%. There are only certain fibre names you’re allowed to use, and the regulations list permitted names, along with the products that don’t need to show fibre content – see exempted products.
In the EU and UK, all textile items for consumers must include this information. Labels are usually stitched inside clothing, so they’re easy to find.
For business-to-business sales, fibre composition may be listed in accompanying commercial documents instead.
Labelling a textile product
To meet the regulations and inform consumers, textile labels must:
- be in English, durable, legible, visible, readily accessible and securely attached
- use only approved fibre names (e.g., wool, cotton, silk, polyester)
- accurately reflect the fibre content
- list the fibre content of each component, if the product includes more than one material
- exclude decorative materials under 7% of total weight and antistatic fibres under 2%
- use terms like '100%', 'pure' or 'all' only when the product contains only one fibre type (eg '100% wool' or '100% cotton' requires the product to contain only the stated fibre)
- state 'contains non-textile parts of animal origin' when applicable
Where fibre composition for textile products is difficult to determine, terms such as 'mixed fibres' or 'unspecified textile composition' may be used to help avoid misleading consumers. Small accessories like buttons, buckles, slide fasteners do not require fibre labelling.
Specific rules apply for labelling certain products, including corsetry and embroidered textiles.
Where identical textile items are sold in multipacks, fibre composition can be labelled on the packaging instead of each individual product.
Labels should be securely attached, but do not need to be permanent. Secure and durable swing tickets or gummed labels are acceptable at the point of sale. For pre-packed items, it is sufficient to show the fibre composition on the packaging only.
Unlabelled and second-hand textile products
All new textile products must display their fibre composition with a label.
Second-hand products must also be labelled. If the fibre content cannot be determined – for example, when original labels are missing – retailers may describe the item as 'old made-up textile product' to clearly inform consumers of the uncertainty regarding fibre content.
Labelling for advertising and online textile sales
If customers can order a product directly from an advert, the advert must state the fibre content.
This applies to:
- websites
- catalogues
- circulars
- price lists and trade literature.
How to avoid misleading textile labelling information
Manufacturers, distributors, and importers must provide a label showing the item’s fibre content when introducing a textile product to the market under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012. This information must be accurate and not misleading, reflecting the actual composition.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) also prohibits misleading claims, actions and omissions relating to product descriptions.
Examples of misleading claims include:
- labelling a cotton t-shirt as "100% organic cotton, made in the UK" when it was produced abroad and contains a blend of cotton and polyester
- claiming the t-shirt is fully biodegradable when it is not
How textile labelling regulations are enforced in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the Trading Standards Service Northern Ireland enforces textile labelling regulations. They ensure retailers provide accurate information about fibre composition so consumers can make informed choices when purchasing textiles.