Apparel × USA
Private label clothing for the US market
US clothing rules are mostly about the label: fibre, origin, who you are and how to wash it. Children’s clothing adds testing and a certificate, and that is where import paperwork now stops shipments.
Private label clothing in the USA: labels, safety and sourcing
To launch a private label clothing brand in the USA, each garment needs a label with the generic fibre names and percentages by weight in order of predominance, the country of origin, and the identity of the manufacturer or a US business handling the product, plus care instructions under the FTC Care Labeling Rule. Clothing textiles must meet the flammability standard in 16 CFR 1610. Children’s clothing adds a lead limit, drawstring rules and a Children’s Product Certificate based on tests by a CPSC-accepted laboratory.
Identity is a practical detail with a catch. The label may show your company name or a registered identification number, but the FTC issues RN numbers only to qualified persons residing in the United States, and they cannot be transferred. A foreign brand without a US entity therefore prints its full name, or the importer uses its own RN as the business handling the product. Origin goes on the front of a label at the inside centre of the neck for garments with a neck, and any Made in USA claim must meet the FTC’s all or virtually all standard.
For children’s wear, CPSC has determined that textiles, dyed or undyed, do not exceed the lead limits, so fabric needs no lead testing, but buttons, snaps, zippers and prints that are not part of the fabric do. Upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 16 with drawstrings that do not meet ASTM F1816-97 is deemed a substantial product hazard. Since 8 July 2026 CPSC has required eFiled certificate data for regulated imports, and duty-free de minimis treatment has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025. See the US market guide and private label clothing for range planning. Take this as general information; for your products we check the details with a licensed US specialist.
US requirements for private label clothing
Adult clothing first, then what changes for children’s wear.
| Requirement | What it means | Who is responsible | Timing or cost driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fibre content | Generic fibre names and percentages by weight in order of predominance, under the Textile and Wool Acts | Brand, importer and anyone labelling the garment | Composition test on each new fabric |
| Country of origin | Shown on the label; at the inside centre neck on garments with a neck | Brand and importer | Changes when a style moves factory or country |
| Identity | Company name or an FTC registered identification number, issued only to US residents | Brand or US importer | Needs a US entity or the importer’s RN |
| Care label | Instructions with a reasonable basis under the Care Labeling Rule | Manufacturer and importer | Wash testing for unusual fabrics or trims |
| Flammability | Clothing textiles under 16 CFR 1610; children’s sleepwear under 1615 and 1616 | Manufacturer or importer, with a certificate where a rule applies | Testing for fabrics without an exemption |
| Children’s lead limits | 100 ppm total lead in accessible components; textiles exempt from testing, trims and some prints not | Importer or US manufacturer | Accepted laboratory tests on metal and plastic parts |
Organic, recycled or Made in USA claims need evidence.
Before the first US delivery
Labels are cheap to get right on the sample and expensive to fix on a container.
- Fibre content confirmed by test and printed with generic names in order of predominance
- Country of origin on each label, positioned correctly for garments with a neck
- Name or RN decided, with the importer’s agreement if its RN is used
- Permanent care labels with instructions you can support
- For children’s styles: lead tests on trims, drawstring review and a Children’s Product Certificate
- Importer of record named and CPSC eFiling route agreed with the customs broker
- US trademark in the clothing class, as covered in US trademark registration
Launch sequence for a US clothing brand
Sampling and fabric decide the dates; start legal checks early.
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1
Range and size curve
Fix styles, colours and size mix from channel demand.
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2
Choose where to make it
Compare origins on landed cost and lead time. We work through selected contract manufacturers; see <a href="/services/private-label-manufacturing/">manufacturing</a> and, for one sourcing option, <a href="/categories/apparel-textiles/india/">clothing made in India</a>.
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3
Tech pack and samples
Write the tech pack, approve fit and design labels together.
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4
Testing and certificates
Test fabric composition and any children’s components, and prepare the certificate data your importer will eFile.
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5
Sell and review
Launch in the first channel, track returns by size, and correct the size curve before reordering.
Frequently asked questions
What must a clothing label show in the US?
Fibre content by generic name and percentage, country of origin, the identity of the manufacturer or a US business handling the product, and care instructions. On garments with a neck, origin must appear on the front of a label at the inside centre of the neck.
Can a foreign brand get an RN number?
No. The FTC issues registered identification numbers only to qualified persons residing in the US, and they cannot be transferred. A foreign brand prints its full name or uses its US importer’s RN with that importer’s agreement.
What extra rules apply to children’s clothing?
A 100 ppm lead limit for accessible components, with textiles exempt from testing but not trims, drawstring rules for upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 16, sleepwear flammability standards, tracking labels, and a Children’s Product Certificate based on tests by a CPSC-accepted laboratory.
Can I label my clothing Made in USA?
Only if it meets the FTC standard that all or virtually all of the product is made in the US.
Have a product idea? Check it before you buy stock.
Send a short brief. We tell you what we think, including when we think you should not do it.
Tell us about your brand
A few lines are enough: what you want to sell, where and to whom. We reply with an honest view of feasibility, the stages you need and the next step.
- No obligation: the first review of your idea is free
- If we think the idea will not pay back, we say so
- Your idea stays confidential; we can sign an NDA
What happens next
- 1We review your briefand may ask a few questions
- 2A short callabout goals, budget and limits
- 3Written proposalstages, scope, fees and timing
- 4First stage startswith a decision gate at its end
- usually 300–1 000 units per product in a first order
- usually 6–12 months from brief to first sales
- EU company, contract under Polish law