All new clothing and footwear must have a label that tells you where the good was made.
Having this information means you can make an informed decision when thinking about whether to buy clothing and footwear.
What goods do the rules apply to?
Most new clothing and footwear must carry country of origin labelling.
Footwear includes shoes, athletic shoes and boots, sandals, jandals, boots, slippers, work boots, gumboots and children's shoes.
Some goods are excluded, including:
second-hand clothing and footwear
jewellery
handkerchiefs
handbags
wigs and hairpieces
component parts of footwear or clothing, eg, fabric and insoles
kneecap and ankle supports
parts of bras, corselets, corsets, braces, suspenders, garters and similar articles.
New food labelling Regulations will come into force on 12 February 2022 for fresh and thawed food and on 12 May 2023 for frozen food. This provides for consumers to get information about where their food comes from. Find more information here.
What are the country of origin labelling requirements?
The label or marking must be in English. The lettering must be clear and no individual letter shall be less than 1.5 mm high.
Clothing labels
The label for clothing must be a permanent label which you can see when examining the clothing. It must be on the item, or if it is not able to be seen because of the way the item is packaged, displayed or folded, it should also be on a removable label or on the packaging.
Footwear labels
Every individual item of footwear should have its country of origin printed, stencilled, branded or marked so you can see it. If this is not practical because of the footwear's design, composition or construction, the country of origin information should be on a removable label or the packaging.
What other labels are required?
Any type of clothing, household textile or furnishing needs a care label.
