Market requirements
Selling textiles in Australia: requirements
Care labels are required on clothing sold in Australia. Environmental claims must not mislead under Australian Consumer Law, and large entities report under the Modern Slavery Act. Buyers usually cover chemicals and fibre content through their restricted-substance lists and lab tests.
Last reviewed 3 Oct 2026 · Not legal advice
A few items for this market are still being checked against official sources and aren't listed yet.
Mandatory (law)
Required by law for textiles sold in Australia.
| Requirement | Applies to | Proof | Date | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care labelling (mandatory information standard)Current instrument: Consumer Goods (Care Labelling) Information Standard 2023. | Clothing, household textiles, furnishings, piece goods, leather/fur items | Permanent care label in English and/or ISO 3758 symbolsAS/NZS 1957 (guidance)ISO 3758 | — | In force | ACCC Product Safety Australia – Care labelling mandatory standard |
| Modern slavery statement | Entities with consolidated revenue ≥ A$100m | Annual statement; buyers request supplier audits | 1 Jan 2019 | In force | Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Federal Register of Legislation) |
| Environmental claims (Australian Consumer Law) | Claims only | Evidence for environmental and sustainability claims | — | In force | ACCC – Environmental and sustainability claims |
Commonly requested by buyers
Not required by law, but many buyers ask for these.
| Requirement | Applies to | Proof | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certificateBuyer-driven, not law. Product classes I-IV set limits (Class I = babies). Certificates are issued by OEKO-TEX institutes, not by a third party such as TexPass. | All textiles; most common for children's wear, underwear, bed linen | Valid OEKO-TEX certificate number, checkable on the OEKO-TEX label checkOEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 test catalogue (tested only by OEKO-TEX member institutes) | OEKO-TEX |
| Organic / recycled content certification (GOTS, OCS, GRS, RCS)Buyer-driven, not law. In the EU, from 27 Sept 2026 a sustainability label must be based on a certification scheme or set by a public authority (Directive 2024/825), so buyers lean on these schemes more. Verify certificates in the GOTS public database / Textile Exchange certified-organisation lists. | Claims only: products sold as organic or recycled | Scope certificate for each site in the chain plus a Transaction Certificate (TC) per shipmentGOTS v7.xTextile Exchange OCS / GRS / RCS (Content Claim Standard) | Global Organic Textile Standard / Textile Exchange |
| Restricted Substances List (AFIRM RSL or brand RSL) lab testBuyer-driven. RSLs typically mirror and go beyond legal limits (e.g. EU REACH, CPSIA). The AFIRM RSL is updated roughly yearly. | All textiles; children's wear usually tested more strictly | Lab test report from an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab against the buyer's RSLEN ISO 14362-1 (azo amines)ISO 14184-1 (formaldehyde)ISO 18254-1 (APEO/NPE)EN ISO 14389 (phthalates)EN 16711-2 (extractable heavy metals)EN 17681-1 / EN 17681-2 (PFAS)ISO 3071 (pH) | AFIRM Group |
| ZDHC MRSL conformance and wastewater testingBuyer-driven. Applies to the factory's chemical inputs and effluent, not the finished garment. | Wet-processing units (dyeing, printing, finishing) supplying large brands | Chemical inventory checked against ZDHC MRSL (e.g. ZDHC Gateway / InCheck report); ZDHC wastewater test reportZDHC MRSL v3.1ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines | ZDHC Roadmap to Zero |
| Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA, SA8000, WRAP)Buyer-driven. Increasingly used as evidence for buyers' legal due-diligence duties (EU Forced Labour Regulation, CSDDD, UK Modern Slavery Act, US UFLPA). | Garment and textile factories | Audit report / certificate from the scheme's approved auditoramfori BSCISedex SMETA 4-pillarSA8000WRAP | amfori / Sedex / SAI |
| Physical performance tests (shrinkage, colourfastness, pilling, seam strength)Buyer-driven quality requirements, not law. Pass/fail limits are set by each buyer. | All garments and fabrics | Lab test report against the buyer's quality manualISO 6330 + ISO 5077 (dimensional change)ISO 105-C06 (colourfastness to washing)ISO 105-X12 (rubbing)ISO 105-E04 (perspiration)ISO 105-B02 (light)ISO 12945-1 / ISO 12945-2 (pilling)ISO 13935-2 (seam strength)ISO 13934-1 (tensile)ISO 3071 (pH) | ISO/TC 38 Textiles |
| Fibre composition verification testBuyer-driven way of supporting the mandatory fibre label; the law requires an accurate label, not a specific test. | All textiles | Lab test report confirming the label's fibre percentagesISO 1833 series / EN ISO 1833 (quantitative chemical analysis)ISO/TR 11827 (identification) | ISO/TC 38 Textiles |
| Better Cotton sourcingBuyer-driven. Mass-balance scheme: does not prove physical traceability of a given garment unless the traceable option is used. | Cotton products for brands that are Better Cotton members | Better Cotton Platform declarations (mass-balance volumes) | Better Cotton |
| Children's wear mechanical safety (snap/button pull, small parts, sharp edges)Commonly required by retailers. Legally, garments must be safe under general product-safety law; these methods are how buyers check it. | Children's clothing, especially under 3 years | Lab test reportCEN/TR 16792 (safety of children's clothing: design recommendations)EN 71-1 small-parts cylinder (used by analogy) | CEN |
Testing for Australia
What TexPass can test or verify here
Tests we can arrange at NABL-accredited labs that match the rows on this page, and certificate checks on the official registries.
Tell us the product and we'll suggest the tests.
Certificate checks: GOTS, OCS, GRS and OEKO-TEX on the official registries
Questions about Australia
What does the law require for textiles sold in Australia?
Care labels are required on clothing sold in Australia. Environmental claims must not mislead under Australian Consumer Law, and large entities report under the Modern Slavery Act. Buyers usually cover chemicals and fibre content through their restricted-substance lists and lab tests.
What do buyers in Australia commonly ask for?
Common buyer requests include: OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certificate; Organic / recycled content certification (GOTS, OCS, GRS, RCS); Restricted Substances List (AFIRM RSL or brand RSL) lab test; ZDHC MRSL conformance and wastewater testing; Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA, SA8000, WRAP); Physical performance tests (shrinkage, colourfastness, pilling, seam strength); Fibre composition verification test; Better Cotton sourcing; Children's wear mechanical safety (snap/button pull, small parts, sharp edges). Buyers ask for these; no law requires them.
Does TexPass certify textile products for Australia?
No. TexPass is not a lab or a certification body. Accredited labs issue the test reports and certification bodies issue certificates; TexPass arranges tests and certificate checks and puts the results on a passport.
This is a summary for planning, not legal advice. Confirm with your importer or a qualified adviser before relying on any item.
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