Who is responsible for the label
For garments sold in the US, the label requirements fall on the company that places the product on the market, usually the brand or the importer. The partner factory prints and sews the labels, but it prints what it is given. If the fiber content is wrong or the origin is missing, the responsibility sits with the seller, not the sewing line.
That is why label content should be treated as a deliverable from the buyer, approved in writing, rather than something the factory fills in. This note is general information about the rules buyers usually meet. Confirm current requirements for your products with a compliance adviser before you print.
The main rules at a glance
| Rule | What it covers | What you supply |
|---|---|---|
| Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (16 CFR 303) | Fiber content by percentage, country of origin, identity of the dealer | Composition from the fabric sheet, origin, your RN number or company name |
| Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423) | Care instructions for the garment | Wash, dry and other care instructions that match the approved fabric |
| Flammability of Clothing Textiles (16 CFR 1610) | Flammability of clothing textiles, with some fabrics exempt from testing | Confirmation of whether your fabrics fall within an exemption |
| CPSIA (children's products, 12 and under) | Testing, certificates and tracking labels for children's products | Tracking label content and a Children's Product Certificate |
| FTC Green Guides | Environmental claims and bamboo fiber naming | Claim wording reviewed before printing |
Fiber content
The fiber content label lists each fiber by percentage, using generic fiber names such as nylon, polyester, spandex, cotton or viscose rather than trade names. For a typical performance legging, that might be a nylon and spandex blend in the 75-80% and 20-25% range, but the label must state the actual percentages for the fabric in your order, taken from the mill's fabric sheet.
Two cases cause most errors in yoga wear. The first is garments with more than one fabric, such as a legging with a mesh panel or a bra with a separate lining. Each part may need its own content line. The second is a fabric substitution between sample and bulk, where the composition changes but the label artwork does not. Make the label artwork part of the pre-production check so it is compared with the bulk fabric sheet.
Bamboo and other regenerated fibers
Soft "bamboo" fabrics are popular in loose yoga wear. Fiber made from bamboo is usually a viscose, and FTC guidance expects it to be labeled as rayon or viscose made from bamboo, for example "viscose (bamboo)", not simply "bamboo". The same caution applies to marketing copy. Our modal and bamboo viscose note covers feel and care for these fabrics.
Country of origin and dealer identity
The label states the country where the garment was made. For programs produced through partner factories in China, that is the country of origin on the label, regardless of where the brand is based or where the fabric design was created. If fabric and garment come from different countries, confirm the correct origin wording with your adviser.
The label also identifies the company responsible for the product. Many US companies use an RN number, a registered identification number issued by the FTC, instead of printing the full company name. If you do not yet have one, it is worth arranging before the first label is designed, since it appears on every garment.
Care instructions
The Care Labeling Rule requires care instructions on apparel. For activewear, the practical rule is that the care label should describe the care the fabric was tested and approved for. If colorfastness to laundering, such as AATCC 61, and dimensional change after laundering, such as AATCC 135, were tested at certain conditions, the care label should not invite harsher treatment.
See shrinkage and dimensional stability for how wash testing connects to the care label.
Flammability
The Flammability of Clothing Textiles standard applies to clothing textiles. Some fabrics are exempt from testing, including plain-surface fabrics of 2.6 oz/yd² or more and fabrics made entirely of nylon, polyester, acrylic, modacrylic, olefin or wool. Many synthetic yoga fabrics are close to these categories, but a blend with spandex or a raised, brushed surface may change the analysis. Ask your adviser whether your specific fabrics are exempt, and keep the reasoning on file.
Children's yoga wear
Garments designed for children 12 and under are children's products under CPSIA. They need third-party testing by a CPSC-accepted lab, a Children's Product Certificate and permanent tracking labels, and they must meet limits including a total lead content limit of 100 ppm and phthalate limits. If your line includes kids' sizes, read the kids' yoga clothes and CPSIA note before sampling, not after.
Building the label pack
The label pack is the set of label artworks and information you send to the factory. It usually includes:
- Main label: brand woven label or printed neck label, with placement.
- Content and origin label: fiber percentages per fabric part, country of origin, RN number or company name.
- Care label: instructions consistent with test results, in the languages your markets require.
- Size label: size designation consistent with your size chart.
- Tracking label: for children's products, as CPSIA requires.
- Hang tag and packaging: claims reviewed against documents, including any certification wording.
Printed labels on the inside of leggings are common because they avoid a scratchy tag on the waistband. Whichever method you choose, test that the print survives washing, since a label that fades away is a missing label. The packaging and hang tags note covers formats.
How we handle labels
We check the label pack against the fabric sheets and the order before production, and the inspection checklist includes label content and placement. We do not decide legal wording for you; we make sure what is printed matches what you approved and what the materials actually are. Read our compliance page for the documents we collect, and when your label pack is ready, include it with your quote request so it is part of the program from the first sample.