Sourcing clothing from India for Australian brands
The India-Australia trade agreement has been in force since December 2022. Here is what it means for duty, which labelling and safety rules are mandatory, and how to plan around seasons that run opposite to the northern hemisphere.
The India-Australia ECTA and clothing duties
The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) came into force on 29 December 2022. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says all Australian imports from India are now eligible to enter duty free, with the last phased lines reaching zero from 1 January 2026.
To get that preferential treatment on clothing:
- The goods must be originating under ECTA's rules of origin for their tariff code. Non-originating goods can be charged the normal rate.
- Origin evidence must be available. A certificate of origin is issued by an accredited body and may be requested by Australian customs; exporters keep origin records for five years.
- Your customs broker claims the preference on the import entry.
Rates and procedures can change. Your broker confirms the final duty for each shipment, and GST on import applies separately.
Mandatory labelling and safety rules
Australia has a few rules that are mandatory for clothing, and others that are simply expected. Get both right in the spec.
Care labelling (mandatory). The Consumer Goods (Care Labelling) Information Standard 2023 requires clothing and most textile products to carry permanent care instructions, at least how to clean the item, with specific instructions for items that are dry-clean only or should not be washed. Symbols and text are both used; put your full care wording in the tech pack.
Country of origin (mandatory for imported clothing). Under Commerce (Trade Descriptions) rules, imported clothing must carry a true trade description naming the country where it was made, in English, permanently attached in a prominent position. "Made in India" covers it. Claims such as "Product of" or "Grown in" have stricter meanings under the Australian Consumer Law.
Fibre content (expected). There is no federal standard that makes fibre content mandatory, but retailers and customers expect it, and any claim you make must be accurate. Most brands label it with percentages.
Children's nightwear (mandatory). The Consumer Goods (Children's Nightwear and Limited Daywear and Paper Patterns for Children's Nightwear) Safety Standard 2017 applies to children's nightwear in sizes 00 to 14, such as pyjamas, nightdresses, dressing gowns, bathrobes, many all-in-ones and infant sleep bags, and to some daywear. It refers to AS/NZS 1249:2014, which sorts garments into fire hazard categories with matching labels, such as "CAUTION: Keep away from heat and flame". Garments too flammable for any category cannot be sold. Tell us early if a style falls in scope, as fabric and design choices decide which label it needs.
Other kidswear, such as garments with cords or small trims, should follow good practice and your retailer's testing requirements.
Sizing to put in your spec
Australian womenswear uses numeric sizes, usually 6 to 16 or wider, close to UK sizing. Menswear often uses S to XXL or chest and waist measurements. Kidswear runs from 000 for babies up to 16.
To get consistent fit from India:
- Give a graded size chart in centimetres with points of measure and tolerances.
- Name your base sample size, often AU 10 for womenswear.
- Tell us which size labels you want, if you also sell in New Zealand or abroad.
Our in-house designer can turn sketches and references into a tech pack if you need one.
Shipping from India to Australia
Sea freight from India to Australia often involves transhipment through a hub port such as Singapore or Colombo before reaching Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Fremantle. Transit times vary with routing and carrier, so build in a buffer.
Air freight from Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore to Australian airports suits sampling, small first orders and urgent re-orders.
Australia has strict biosecurity rules for imports. Clothing is generally low risk, but packaging matters: make sure any timber pallets or crates meet treatment and marking requirements, and that cartons are clean. We support logistics for brands abroad, including customs clearance support. Your Australian broker lodges the import entry.
Seasons and lead times from India
Australia's seasons run opposite to Europe and North America. Autumn/winter ranges land around March to May, and spring/summer around August to October. That is useful: when Indian factories are busy with northern-hemisphere winter orders, your summer range may be at a different stage.
Plan from your launch date:
- Costing: a costing and line plan within 48 hours of a complete brief.
- Sampling: every style is sampled until fit, fabric and finish are right. How long it takes depends on the style and your approval speed.
- Production: about 45 days from sample approval to dispatch.
- Transit and clearance: sea or air, plus broker and biosecurity checks.
For winter, Ludhiana is our hub for woollen knitwear, sweaters and hoodies. For summer, Tirupur covers cotton knits and loungewear, and Jaipur is known for hand block printing and cotton womenswear. Production in India slows around the Diwali festival weeks, so plan summer bulk with that in mind.
How Sourcingo supports Australian brands
We are a fashion buying house in Jaipur working with 80+ verified partner factories across seven hubs.
- Matching each style to a factory that suits it, with minimums from 25 pieces per style, confirmed after we see the specs.
- Sampling every style; you sign off fit, fabric and finish before bulk.
- Quality checks: our own team monitors production on the floor and checks finished goods, including care and origin labels, against your approved sample before packing.
- Logistics support, including customs clearance support for brands abroad.
- Client portal: after your first confirmed order, stage-by-stage status, approvals and dates in one login.
- Certificates: partner factories hold certifications such as ISO, Sedex, GOTS and OEKO-TEX, with factory-wise copies shared on request.
Your designs are made only for your brand and never offered to anyone else.
Questions
Is clothing from India duty free in Australia?
Under ECTA, in force since 29 December 2022, Australian imports from India are eligible for duty-free entry, provided the goods meet the rules of origin and the preference is claimed. Your customs broker confirms the final rate, and rates and rules can change.
Which clothing labels are mandatory in Australia?
Care instructions and, for imported clothing, country of origin. Children's nightwear and some daywear also need the fire danger labelling set by the safety standard. Fibre content is expected but not federally mandatory.
Can you make children's pyjamas for Australia?
We can match kidswear and nightwear styles to partner factories. Tell us at the brief stage, so fabric, design and testing follow the children's nightwear standard before bulk.
How small can a first order be?
From 25 pieces per style. Some fabrics, dyes and prints need more, and we confirm the exact minimum after seeing your specs.
Updated:
What your sourcing team checks first.
Each order goes to units that hold the certificates your market asks for: ISO, Sedex, GOTS or OEKO-TEX. You get factory-wise copies before you place an order.
Costing on the terms you buy on, FOB India or delivered to your warehouse, with the minimum and timeline it depends on, within 48 hours of a complete brief.
Bulk and repeat programmes planned across more than one approved factory where the volume needs it, packed to your manual, with one team accountable for delivery.
45 days from sample approval to dispatch. India and export shipments, with customs clearance support from the factory gate to your warehouse.
Get a costing in 48 hours.
Send us your brief. Once it is complete, you get a cost per style, the minimum it depends on and a production timeline within 48 hours.