New textile labelling regulations in Mexico

On 1st January 2018, the extension given by the Mexican Government to textile products manufactured after the entry into force of the new Mexican Official Standard NMX-A-3758-INNTEX-2014 on 17 October 2017 to adapt to new labelling features, came to an end.
From the very first day of 2018, all newly produced textile garments must comply with the Standard, and only those textiles produced before its entry into force could continue to be commercialised until ran out-of-stock.

Mexican textile industry regulation updates

Mexican Official Standard NMX-A-3758-INNTEX-2014, was officially published on 16 August 2017 as a response to the need to unify and simplify clothing label symbols, so for the benefit of the final user as for laundry and dry cleaner service providers.

Such regulation, sponsored by the Mexican Ministry of Economy, overrules norm NMX-A-240-INNTEX-2009, and integrates a graphic symbol system that facilitates information about the most severe treatments that do not cause irreversible damage during the textile care process. Furthermore, it specifies the different uses of these symbols in the issuing of product labels.

Domestic treatments such as washing, bleaching, drying and ironing, as well as professional textile care treatments of wet and dry cleaning, were taken into account for its creation.
However, it excludes industrial laundry because the symbols for this category are contained in ISO 30023:2010. Though the information provided on the domestic symbols will also be of help to the professional laundering and laundry services.

New textile labelling symbols in Mexico

Among the most significant changes brought in by the new Mexican Official Standard, are the following:

• New definitions and symbols that specify drying processes: line-dry, dry flat, drip line-dry, and drip dry flat in shade.
• Change of colour in the “Do not bleach” symbol.
• The inclusion of a Saint Andrews’ cross in the “do not tumble dry” symbol.
• New point system limits to represent the process temperature (It is possible to use up to 4 points, making reference to 60C).

Moreover, NMX-A-3758-INNTEX-2014 of 16 august 2017 affects and modifies NOM-004-SCFI-2006, which regulates commercial information of textile products for Mexican manufacturers and importers.

Requirements for importing textiles in Mexico

The textile industry in Mexico is one of the most important sectors in the Mexican economy since its growth became steady in 2011. The Mexican Ministry of Finance and the Mexican Ministry of Economy promoted a sequence of tax and customs measures to prevent the importation of textiles through unfair practices such as dumping by establishing three mandatory requirements:

1. Registration in the l Register of Importers of Special Sectors for Textiles.
2. Provide notice of the advance automatic permit before Mexican Customs in order to conduct any operation involving the entry of foreign fibres or textiles.
3. Compliance with the duties and documentation established by the Mexican Ministry of Economy for companies looking to import merchandise into Mexico.

These are just some of the factors that you should consider before expanding your textile import/export business into Mexico. Please contact us if you want more information about the regulations and procedures of the textile industry. In addition to giving you the information you need to import and export your products, our experts will provide you with the services that best suit your needs.