Sourcing clothing from India for US brands
US duties on Indian goods have changed several times since 2025. This page sets out what has happened, dated, plus the labelling, sizing and planning a US brand needs to get right.
US duties on clothing from India: a moving target
There is no free trade agreement in force between India and the United States. Clothing from India pays the normal US duty for its tariff code, and since 2025 there have also been extra duties on top that have changed several times. In outline, as reported up to October 2026:
- August 2025: the US raised additional duties on most Indian goods to a high level under emergency powers (IEEPA).
- Late 2025 to early 2026: India and the US talked through a trade framework with a lower rate. Then, on 20 February 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA does not allow tariffs, which ended those IEEPA duties.
- 24 February 2026: a temporary across-the-board import surcharge under Section 122 took effect, limited by law to 150 days.
- 24 July 2026: the Section 122 surcharge expired and was replaced by new duties under Section 301. These have been challenged in US courts.
What this means for you: do not build a landed cost on a duty rate you read online, including on this page. Ask your customs broker for the current rate for each tariff code before you confirm an order, and check again before the goods ship. We build costings so you can see the factory price separately and add duty, freight and fees once your broker confirms them.
US labelling rules for clothing
Clothing sold in the US must follow the FTC's Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (the Textile Act) and, for wool items, the Wool Products Labeling Act. The FTC's guide sets out the basics:
- Fibre content: generic fibre names with percentages by weight, in order of weight, such as "60% Cotton, 40% Polyester".
- Country of origin: imported garments must say where they were made, for example "Made in India". For most garments this goes on a label at the inside centre neck.
- Dealer identity: the name of the company responsible, or its RN (Registered Identification Number). An RN is issued by the FTC to US businesses and is free to apply for. Many small brands use an RN on the label instead of their full name.
- Care instructions: the FTC Care Labeling Rule requires a permanent care label with at least one safe cleaning method and any warnings. Care symbols are allowed.
Labels must be in English. Send us your label artwork and we sew it into every garment; it is checked at final inspection.
Children's clothing: CPSIA and flammability
If you sell kidswear for children 12 and under, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) applies, enforced by the CPSC:
- Children's Product Certificate (CPC): the US importer issues it, based on testing at a CPSC-accepted third-party lab.
- Lead limits for substrate and surface coatings, which matter for buttons, snaps, zips and prints.
- Tracking labels: permanent marks on the product and packaging showing the maker, date and batch, where practical.
- Children's sleepwear must meet strict flammability standards, or be tight-fitting as defined by the rules.
- Drawstrings: hood and neck drawstrings on children's upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 12 are treated as a substantial hazard.
Tell us at the brief stage if a style is for children. That shapes fabric, trim and lab testing choices before bulk.
Sizing to put in your spec
US womenswear uses numeric sizes (often 0 to 16, or 00 to 18) or XS to XL. Menswear shirts are often by neck and sleeve or S to XXL, and trousers by waist and inseam in inches. Kidswear uses toddler sizes (2T to 5T) and kids' sizes by number.
Grading between brands differs a lot. Give your factory:
- A full size chart with points of measure, in inches or centimetres, and tolerances.
- Your base sample size, usually 6 or 8 for womenswear and M for menswear.
- Your fit references, such as a garment you already sell that fits well.
Shipping from India to the US
Sea freight is the usual choice for bulk. Containers leave Indian ports such as Nhava Sheva or Mundra for the US East Coast (New York and New Jersey, Savannah) or the West Coast (Los Angeles and Long Beach), often with transhipment on the way. Routings and transit times change, so allow a buffer.
Air freight from Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore suits small first runs and urgent re-orders, at a higher cost per kilo.
We support logistics for brands abroad, including customs clearance support from the India side. Your US customs broker files the entry, confirms the tariff classification and pays the duties.
Seasons and lead times from India
US retail plans around spring, summer, back-to-school, fall and holiday. Work back from your in-store or online launch date:
- Costing: a costing and line plan within 48 hours of a complete brief.
- Sampling: every style is sampled until the fit is right. Time depends on the style and how quickly approvals come back.
- Production: about 45 days from sample approval to dispatch.
- Transit and customs: add sea or air time and broker clearance.
Given how often duties have moved, many brands leave room in the plan to check the duty position once more before the goods ship. Production in India also slows around the Diwali festival weeks, so plan holiday-season bulk early.
How Sourcingo supports US brands
We are a fashion buying house in Jaipur working with 80+ verified partner factories across seven hubs, from cotton knits in Tirupur to denim and woven shirts in Bangalore and Mumbai.
- 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 team monitors production on the floor and checks finished goods against your approved sample before packing, including labels.
- Logistics support, including customs clearance support for brands abroad.
- Client portal: after your first order is confirmed, stage-by-stage status, approvals and dates in one place.
- Certificates: partner factories hold certifications such as ISO, Sedex, GOTS and OEKO-TEX, shared factory-wise on request before an order.
Your designs are made only for your brand and never offered to anyone else.
Questions
What is the US duty on clothing from India right now?
It has changed several times since 2025, and the duties in place since July 2026 face legal challenges. We do not quote a rate. Your customs broker confirms the current rate for each tariff code, and you should check again close to shipment.
Do I need an RN number?
Not strictly. The label must identify the company responsible, either by name or by RN. Many brands apply to the FTC for a free RN because it is shorter and keeps the label tidy.
Who issues the Children's Product Certificate?
The US importer or domestic manufacturer issues the CPC, based on testing by a CPSC-accepted third-party lab. Tell us early, so samples can go for that testing before bulk.
Can you put "Made in India" and my care label on every piece?
Yes. Send your label and care details in the tech pack, and labels are checked against it at final inspection.
How small can a first US order be?
From 25 pieces per style. Some fabrics, dyes and prints need more, and we confirm the exact minimum once we see 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.