On January 12, 2024, Saudi Arabia officially adopted a new edition of its Technical Regulations for Textile Products, superseding the previous regulations. These updated regulations are set to come into effect on July 10, 2024, 180 days after their publication in the Official Gazette.
The revised regulations establish essential requirements for textile products and outline the conformity assessment procedures suppliers must follow to ensure their products meet the standards for entry into the Saudi Arabian market. Key changes in the new regulations include:
Updated Scope: The list of textile products subject to the new requirements has been updated, with covered products and their corresponding customs coding included in Appendix 1-B. A newly defined category for underwear has been added.
Exclusions: Improved clarity on specific medical products and footwear exclusions. Products designed for medical purposes now fall under the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s regulations, and footwear is subject to the technical regulation of shoes and accessories.
Language Labeling: The updated language labeling requirement now mandates that information be presented in Arabic, with an option for an additional language. The previous mention of English has been eliminated.
Appendix Changes: Several appendices have been removed, including those detailing permissible chemicals and specific dyes, resulting in changes to the numbering of the remaining appendices.
Revised Standards: Updates to the standards and test methods for determining potentially harmful chemicals in textile products (Annex 1). Additionally, Appendix 1-A has been revised, with 65 standards removed and 13 new standards added.
Suppliers have one year from the publication date to comply with the new requirements. For more details, refer to the official source of the Technical Regulation for Textile Products.
