Selling Textiles in China – Navigating China GB Testing for Textiles

First Published:  
September 2024

Compliance with the GB testing standard is mandatory for textile products sold in China, and manufacturers and importers must ensure that their products meet these requirements before they can be introduced to the Chinese market.

This article aims to provide an overview of China GB testing for textiles.

Understanding the GB Testing System

The GB, or “Guojia Biaozhun” in Mandarin, which translates to national standard in English, is a crucial aspect of ensuring compliance with Chinese regulations.

The prefix codes determine whether the standards are mandatory or voluntary, as described below:

• GB: Mandatory national standards
• GB/T: Voluntary national standards
• GB/Z: National guiding technical documents

In cases where GB Standards are not available, manufacturers should follow this hierarchy:

• Professional Standards: Also known as "Industry Standards," these are created and implemented in the absence of National Standards. They are categorised by the industry sector in China; for instance, FZ stands for the textiles industry. Additionally, voluntary standards are denoted by a "/T" suffix added after the code for corresponding industry standards, such as FZ/T.

• Provincial Standards: Referred to as " Local Standards", these are developed to meet special technical requirements of local natural conditions, customs and habits across various industries including agriculture, industry, and services. Local standards are voluntary and are further classified as municipal and provincial local standards. They are identified by the local standard code "DB+*/T", wherein the “*” represents the corresponding administrative division code, with two digits for provincial and four digits for municipal, as defined by GB/T 2260. The symbol “/T” stands for voluntary. For example, the Beijing Municipality local standard would be denoted as DB 11/T.

• Enterprise Standards: The standards for technical requirements, management requirements and work requirements that require coordination and standardization within an enterprise. Enterprise Standards are identified by the prefix "Q".

Main Compliance Standards for Textiles in China

GB 18401: National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products

GB 18401 is a mandatory standard for the clothing, decorative and household textile products in China, which sets out the technical safety and testing requirements for corresponding textile products manufactured or sold in China.

The standard consists of three categories for textile products by end use:

• Category A: Textile products for infants (up to 36 months of age)
• Category B: Textile products with direct contact to skin
• Category C: Textile products without direct contact to skin

It covers testing for formaldehyde content, pH value, colourfastness, odours, and azo dyes. Additionally, it includes labelling requirements.

GB 31701: Safety Technical Code for Infants and Children Textile Products

GB 31701 is a mandatory standard in China. It specifies the safety requirements and testing methods for textile products intended for infants and children to ensure their safety and protect their health.

The standard covers fibre content, colourfastness, formaldehyde content, pH value, banned azo dyes, odour, and labelling requirements.

GB/T 5296.4: Introduction for Use of Products of Consumer Interest – Part 4: Textiles and Apparel

Although the GB/T 5296.4 is a voluntary standard in China, complying with its provisions is essential for textile compliance in the Chinese market, as referenced by nearly all related product standards. The standard sets out the basic principles, marking contents, and marking requirements for instructions regarding the use of textiles and apparel sold in the domestic market in China.

This standard provides guidelines on what information should be included on labels attached to textile products to ensure that consumers are properly informed about the product.

The major requirements for labelling according to GB/T 5296.4 include:

• Name and address of manufacturer
• Product name
• Specifications or Chinese sizing
• Fibre content
• Care instruction
• Product standard
• Safety category
• Usage or storage matters need attention

GB/T 2910 series and FZ/T 01057 series: The Test Method for Identification of Textile Fibers

Both series standard is a voluntary standard in China that specifies a test method for the identification of textile fibres. The standard outlines procedures for identifying and testing the characteristics of various textile fibres.

FZ/T 01057 consists of eleven parts:

• Part 1: General Introduction
• Part 2: Burning Behavior
• Part 3: Microscopy
• Part 4: Solubility
• Part 5: Qualitative Observation of Colour-production for Chlorine and Nitrogen
• Part 6: Fibre Melting Point
• Part 7: Density gradient column method
• Part 8: Infrared absorption spectrum
• Part 9: Birefringence
• Part 10: Near-infrared spectroscopy
• Part 11: Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

GB/T 2910 consists of twenty-seven parts:

• Part 1: General principles of testing
• Part 2: Ternary fibre mixture
• Part 3: Mixtures of acetate and certain other fibres (method using acetone)
• Part 4：Mixtures of certain protein fibres with certain other fibres (method using hypochlorite)
• Part 5: Mixtures of viscose,cupro or modal and cotton fibres (method using sodium zincate)
• Part 6: Mixtures of viscose or certain types of cupro or modal or lyocell and cotton fibres (method using formic acid and zinc chloride)
• Part 7: Mixtures of polyamide and certain other fibres (method using formic acid)
• Part 8: Mixtures of acetate and triacetate fibres (method using acetone)
• Part 9: Mixtures of acetate with certain other fibres (method using benzyl alcohol)
• Part 10: Mixtures of triacetate or polylactide and certain other fibres (method using dichloromethane)
• Part 11: Mixtures of certain cellulose fibres with certain other fibres (method using sulfuric acid)
• Part 12: Part 12: Mixtures of acrylic,certain modacrylic,certain chlorofibres,certain elastanes and certain other fibres (method using dimethylformamide )
• Part 13: Mixtures of certain chlorofibers and certain other fibers(method using carbon disulfide /acetone)
• Part 14: Mixtures of acetate and certain chlorofibres (method using acetic acid)
• Part 15: Mixtures of jute and certain animal fibres (method by determining nitrogen content)
• Part 16: Mixtures of polypropylene fibres with certain other fibres (method using xylene)
• Part 17: Mixtures of chlorofibers (homopolymers of vinyl chloride) and certain other fibers (method using sulfuric acid)
• Part 18: Mixtures of silk and wool or hair (method using sulfuric acid)
• Part 19: Mixtures of cellulose fibres and asbestos (method by heating)
• Part 20: Mixtures of elastane and some other fibers (method of using dimethylacetamide)
• Part 21: Mixtures of chlorofibers, certain modacrylics, certain elastanes, acetates, triacetates and certain other fibers (method using cyclohexanone)
• Part 22: Mixtures of viscose or certain types of cupro or modal or lyocell and flax of ramie fibres (method using formic acid and zinc chloride)
• Part 23: Mixtures of polyethylene and polypropylene (method using cyclohexanone)
• Part 24: Mixtures of polyester and some other fibers (method using phenol and tetrachloroethane)
• Part 25：Mixtures of polyester and certain other fibres（method using trichloroacetic acid and chloroform）
• Part 26：Mixtures of melamine and cotton or aramide fibers（method using hot formic acid）
• Part 101: Mixtures of soybean protein composite fibre and certain other fibers

GB/T 29862 Textiles – Identification of Fibre Content

This standard specifies the labelling requirements, marking principles, expression methods, tolerances and determination of labelling compliance for the fiber content of textile products, and provides examples of labelling for textile fiber content.

How can the Eurofins Softlines & Leather Network of Laboratories Help?

Eurofins Softlines & Leather’s laboratories in China are accredited by China Metrology Accreditation (CMA) and China National Accreditation Services for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). Together with our worldwide team of technical experts, we are able to provide a range of services, including testing, review of labelling and markings, and other solutions to support your compliance with GB standards.

Find out more information in our China GB Testing Services or contact us directly.