Compliance

Product rules for importing Indian goods into the US, EU and UK

Origin marking, food-contact safety, lead in ceramics, textile labelling and more: the main rules each market applies on import, linked to the legal texts.

Updated 27 September 2026, with every figure linked to its source below

Goods from India have to meet the same product rules as goods made locally once they reach the US, the EU or the UK. A few rules apply to almost everything: origin marking in the US, and general product safety and chemical restrictions in the EU and UK. Others apply only to certain products, such as food-contact rules for kitchenware, lead limits for ceramic tableware, fibre labelling for textiles and energy labelling for LED lamps. This guide lists the main rules in each market, what products they cover, and which of the twelve products in our launch set each one touches. Every rule links to its legal text.

Rules that apply in India before shipment are a different set.

United States

Rules for all products

• Country of origin marking. Each item, or its outer container where the rules allow, must be marked with its country of origin in English, such as "Made in India"^[1]. Examples: all twelve.

Product-specific rules

• Food-contact safety. Materials that touch food must be safe for that use under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. FDA can detain shipments that leach unsafe substances into food^[2]. Covers: porcelain and other ceramic tableware and kitchenware, table and kitchen glassware, table and kitchen articles of iron, steel, copper or aluminium, cutlery-type kitchen tools such as ladles and servers, and plastic tableware and kitchenware. Examples: ceramic tableware, cast iron cookware, stainless steel insulated water bottles.
• Lead and cadmium in ceramic tableware. FDA sets limits on lead and cadmium that can leach from ceramic foodware and detains imports that exceed them. Decorative pieces not meant for food need a permanent "Not for food use" mark^[3]. Covers: porcelain and other ceramic tableware and kitchenware. Examples: ceramic tableware.
• California Proposition 65. Products sold in California need a warning if they expose people to listed chemicals, such as lead in brass or ceramic glazes, above safe-harbor levels^[4]. This is a California state law, but it applies to any product sold there. Covers: copper and brass household articles and other copper articles, base-metal door and furniture fittings, base-metal ornaments and statuettes, and ceramic tableware. Examples: ceramic tableware, brass door and furniture hardware, brass ornaments, brass household ware.
• Textile labeling. Household textiles need a label giving fibre content by percentage, the country of origin, and the manufacturer or dealer's name or RN number^[5]. Covers: blankets, bed, table, bath and kitchen linen, curtains, other furnishings such as cushion covers, and other made-up textile articles. Examples: bath towels, bed linen, cushion covers.
• Leather content claims. Wallets, bags and other leather goods must describe their material accurately. Imitation, split and bonded leather must be identified as such^[6]. Covers: suitcases, handbags, wallets and other bags and cases with a leather outer surface, leather clothing and accessories, and other articles of leather. Examples: leather wallets.
• Toy safety testing. Toys for children 12 and under must pass third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab to the ASTM F963 standard, come with a Children's Product Certificate, and carry permanent tracking labels^[7]. Covers: toys.
• FCC equipment authorization. Electronics that emit radio-frequency energy need FCC authorization before sale: a Supplier's Declaration of Conformity for most LED lighting, and certification for Bluetooth and other radio transmitters^[8]. Covers: LED lamps and modules, data transmission devices such as Bluetooth units, and headphones and earphones. Examples: LED bulbs.
• Lighting Facts label. Medium screw-base LED lamps need the FTC Lighting Facts label on the package, showing brightness, yearly energy cost, life and light colour^[9]. Covers: LED lamps and modules. Examples: LED bulbs.
• Lithium battery shipping. Lithium-ion cells and batteries are dangerous goods in transport. They must pass UN 38.3 tests and be packed, marked and documented under hazardous materials rules^[10]. Covers: rechargeable batteries; the rule bites on lithium ones.

European Union

Rules for all products

• General product safety. Consumer products must be safe and carry a type or batch number and the manufacturer's contact details. An economic operator based in the EU, such as the importer or an authorised representative, must be named on the product or its packaging^[11]. For goods from India, that usually means you or a representative you appoint. Examples: all twelve.
• REACH chemical restrictions. REACH restricts hazardous substances in products, such as azo dyes in textiles and leather, chromium VI in leather, lead and nickel. If a product contains more than 0.1% of a substance of very high concern, buyers must be told^[12]. Examples: all twelve. It matters most for the textile, leather and brass products.

Product-specific rules

• Food-contact materials. Materials that touch food must not transfer harmful substances into it and must be labelled for food contact. Some, including ceramics and plastics, need a written declaration of compliance^[13]. Covers: the same kitchenware and tableware families as the US food-contact rule. Examples: ceramic tableware, cast iron cookware, stainless steel insulated water bottles.
• Lead and cadmium in ceramic tableware. Ceramic tableware must stay within limits on lead and cadmium release, tested to set methods, and ship with a declaration of compliance^[14]. Covers: porcelain and other ceramic tableware and kitchenware. Examples: ceramic tableware.
• Textile labelling. Textile products need a label giving fibre composition by percentage, using the standard fibre names, in the language of the country where they're sold^[15]. Covers: household textiles (blankets, bed, table, bath and kitchen linen, curtains, cushion covers and other made-up articles) and bags with an outer surface of textile. Examples: bath towels, bed linen, cushion covers, cotton tote bags.
• Toy safety. Toys need CE marking, safety testing to the EN 71 standards, a technical file and an EU declaration of conformity^[16]. Covers: toys.
• Lighting: CE marking, ecodesign and energy label. LED lamps need CE marking under the low voltage, electromagnetic compatibility and RoHS rules. They must meet ecodesign efficiency limits, carry an energy label and be registered in the EPREL database^[17]. Covers: LED lamps and modules. Examples: LED bulbs.
• Batteries. Batteries need CE marking and labels including the separate-collection symbol. The producer must register for extended producer responsibility in each member state where they're sold^[18]. Covers: rechargeable batteries.

United Kingdom

Rules for all products

• General product safety. Consumer products must be safe and should carry the producer's name and contact details and a product or batch reference^[19]. Examples: all twelve.
• UK REACH chemical restrictions. UK REACH restricts hazardous substances in products much like EU REACH, including azo dyes, chromium VI in leather, lead and nickel^[20]. Examples: all twelve.

Product-specific rules

• Food-contact materials. Materials that touch food must not transfer harmful substances into it. Some, including ceramics and plastics, need a written declaration of compliance^[21]. The regulations linked are England's. Covers: the same kitchenware and tableware families as the US and EU rules. Examples: ceramic tableware, cast iron cookware, stainless steel insulated water bottles.
• Textile labelling. Textile products need a label giving fibre composition by percentage, using the standard fibre names^[22]. Covers: household textiles and bags with an outer surface of textile. Examples: bath towels, bed linen, cushion covers, cotton tote bags.
• Toy safety. Toys need UKCA or CE marking, safety testing, a technical file and a declaration of conformity^[23]. Covers: toys.
• Electrical safety. Electrical equipment, including LED lamps, needs UKCA or CE marking and must meet the safety requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016^[24]. Covers: LED lamps and modules. Examples: LED bulbs.
• Batteries. Batteries must stay within limits on mercury and cadmium and carry the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol^[25]. Covers: rechargeable batteries.

Which rules touch common products

On top of the rules for all products in each market, these are the product-specific rules for some common products.

"None listed" means none of the main product-specific rules above; the rules for all products still apply, and REACH is the one to watch for leather and brass.

How to use this list

• Put the rules for your market in your RFQ, so the supplier quotes for the labelling, testing and documents you need. How to write an RFQ covers where they go.
• Ask the supplier for test reports against your market's rules, not only India's. An Indian BIS certificate doesn't show US, EU or UK compliance.
• Check the current legal text through the links in the sources. Rules change, and this list only records the headline requirement.