# Canada Apparel Labelling and CA Numbers | Surajmal > Source: https://surajmal.com/blog/2026/08/canada-apparel-labelling-requirements [SSL Newsroom](/blog) Compliance # Canada Apparel Labelling: Bilingual Rules, CA Numbers and Fibre Content Kolkata · 18 AUGUST 2026 ·By Surajmal Editorial Team·10 min read Published 18 August 2026 For a garment sold to a consumer in Canada, start with the Textile Labelling Act and Textile Labelling and Advertising Regulations: the prescribed article needs a disclosure label showing its fibre content and dealer identity in the prescribed form. In most sales areas, the fibre-content declaration must be in English and French. A Canadian dealer may use its CA Identification Number in place of its name and postal address. A US RN is not a CA number, and a US-only label does not complete the Canadian fibre-language or dealer-identification check. The rule applies to prescribed consumer textile articles sold, imported into Canada or advertised by a dealer. Country-of-origin marking, provincial language rules and product-specific safety obligations belong in the destination brief as separate checks. The useful production control is a Canadian artwork variant, released only after the final bill of materials and the Canadian dealer field are confirmed. That keeps the legal fibre declaration separate from brand copy, size, care instructions and retailer presentation. For the wider process, see our [garment labelling guide](/blog/2026/06/garment-labelling-care-label-export-requirements) and the [Canada import guide](/markets/canada). ## What must appear on an apparel label sold in Canada? A disclosure label for a consumer textile article must show the textile fibre content in the prescribed manner and the dealer's name and postal address, subject to the CA-number option. If the label represents that the article, fabric or fibre is imported, it must also show the country of origin, unless another label on the article carries that country name. The required fibre information must be clearly and prominently shown, easily legible, in type of equal size and prominence, and set apart from non-required graphic material. For standard apparel, the disclosure label is applied to the article and placed where a prospective purchaser can readily access it. The Regulations allow different treatments for defined categories such as sets, packaged articles and some Schedule III articles, so confirm the product classification before treating a hangtag as the answer. Label field Canadian federal check Production record to use Fibre content Generic fibre names and composition shown in the prescribed form Final fabric and component specification Language English and French fibre declaration, unless the stated single-language-area exception applies Approved bilingual artwork Dealer identity Canadian dealer name and postal address, or an eligible CA number Brand or importer legal details Country name Required when the label makes an imported-product, fabric or fibre representation Approved origin wording, where used Attachment Article bears the label at sale; placement must be accessible Label-placement page and sewn sample A coat with a warming lining, a garment with a large contrasting trim, or a set sold together may need a different layout. Read the construction before compressing declarations into one line. ## Which Canadian label information has to be bilingual? The fibre-content information required by paragraph 11(1)(a) must appear in both English and French. The Regulations provide a narrow exception where the article is, or will be, sold to the public in an area where only one official language is continuously used for consumer purchases, and the fibre information appears in that language. For a programme intended for general Canadian distribution, bilingual fibre copy is the practical default to release. The Competition Bureau states that dealer identification and country of origin, when required, do not have to be bilingual under these textile requirements. That distinction is easy to miss on a crowded label: the bilingual obligation attaches to generic fibre names and information relating to fibre content, not automatically to every word printed beside them. Copy on the label Bilingual treatment under the federal textile rule Artwork control `95% Cotton / Coton` Yes Use the recognised English and French generic names `5% Elastane / Élasthanne` Yes Keep percentage and fibre declaration aligned across both languages `Shell / Extérieur` and `Lining / Doublure` where they introduce fibre declarations Yes, as fibre-related information Translate the component heading with the declaration Dealer name, postal address or CA number No federal bilingual requirement in this rule Use the approved legal identity exactly Care, size and brand wording Not a mandatory federal textile fibre declaration Check any separate applicable requirement and commercial brief Two labels can carry language versions in permitted circumstances. Keep both full declarations visible in the proof, then check both sides of a folded or turned label on the physical sample. ## How does a CA Identification Number work on a garment label? A CA Identification Number may replace the dealer's name and postal address on a consumer textile article label. The Regulations make this option available to a dealer resident in Canada that makes, has made, processes, finishes, retails, imports, or owns and distributes consumer textile articles in Canada, provided the application information is current. The Competition Bureau describes the CA number as a five-digit identification number preceded by `CA`. It is an identification route for an eligible Canadian dealer. It is not a generic supplier code to add to an export label, and it does not replace the need to determine which dealer's identity should appear for the Canadian sale. CA and RN look similar because both are compact numbers used on apparel labels. The FTC says an RN may stand in for a US business name on a US textile label; it does not make that RN a Canadian CA Identification Number. Put the two fields in separate columns of the artwork matrix. That separation prevents a common error: copying a US artwork file, retaining `RN` as the sole business identifier, and assuming its number can serve the Canadian disclosure. The Canadian label needs its own dealer-identity decision. ## How should fibre content be written for Canada? Each textile fibre present at five per cent or more by mass must be shown by its generic name, in order of predominance by mass, with the amount immediately before or after the generic name. Fibres below five per cent may be shown individually or, subject to the Regulations' conditions, as `other fibre` or `other fibres` after the named fibres. The label is a composition statement, not a merchandising description. Where a garment has sections that differ in fibre content, the Regulations can require each section to be described separately. Linings for warmth, laminated or bonded linings, and interlining, padding or filling for warmth have their own separate-disclosure rules. Trimming above the stated surface-area threshold also receives separate treatment. Map shell, lining, padding, contrast panels and trim before the label copy is frozen. Garment construction Fibre-content question Practical label-file action Single-fabric T-shirt Does the final fabric specification match the stated generic name and percentage? Link the label declaration to the approved bulk fabric record Jacket with a warmth lining Does the lining need a separately identified fibre declaration? Keep shell and lining composition as separate artwork fields Garment with contrasting textile panels Do sections differ in fibre content? Describe each applicable section separately in the composition matrix Style with decorative elastic or ornamentation Does the specific exclusion or disclosure rule apply? Check the construction against the Regulations before using an exclusion phrase Generic names come from the Regulations, not a fabric trade name or product story. A trademark or descriptive term cannot replace the generic fibre name. ## How durable and accessible must the Canadian disclosure label be? For articles in Schedule I that are not in Schedule III, the disclosure label must be made and applied so it can reasonably be expected to withstand and remain legible through ten cleanings. In all cases, the article must bear the disclosure label when sold to the consumer. This is why a label proof needs a physical check, not only a PDF sign-off. The Regulations also require the disclosure label to be on the article, except where a permitted alternative applies, and in a place readily accessible to a prospective purchaser. When a garment is sold in packaging that hides its disclosure label, the prescribed information generally needs to appear on the wrapper, package or container unless the inside label is clearly visible. For a sewn garment label, inspect attachment, folding, print contrast and legibility after the relevant cleaning trial. Care information is not a mandatory federal textile declaration in Canada, but must be accurate if supplied. Our [fabric-testing guide](/blog/2026/07/fabric-testing-mill-test-report-guide) explains the material review. ## Where does a US apparel label fall short in Canada? A US label can contain accurate fibre percentages, country of origin, an RN and care instructions, yet still be incomplete for a Canadian sale. US rules use English disclosures and allow an eligible US firm's RN in place of its business name. Canada's federal textile rule calls for English and French fibre-content information in most consumer sales areas and calls for the Canadian dealer's name and postal address or an eligible CA number. US label feature Why it may not complete the Canadian check Canadian action English-only fibre declaration Canadian fibre information is normally required in English and French Add the approved French fibre declaration RN as sole identity RN belongs to the US identification system Use the Canadian dealer name and postal address or its eligible CA number Permanent care label Canada does not make care copy the core federal textile disclosure Keep it accurate, then check fibre and dealer fields separately Origin statement Origin wording does not substitute for the Canadian fibre or dealer fields Retain only approved origin wording and complete the other fields The Canadian composition must reflect the final garment, both language versions must be equally legible, and the dealer field must be correct for the Canadian sale. A Canadian label layout is often clearer in sampling and final inspection. ## How should a Canadian label be released before bulk? Release the Canadian label after the material specification is stable, not when a first development sample is sent. A late change to shell composition, warming lining, contrast panel or stretch content can change the legal declaration. A late decision about the Canadian dealer can change the identity field. Both need version control before labels are ordered. Approval stage What to lock Check on the physical garment Composition review Final generic names, percentages and component disclosures Label matches the final bill of materials Language review English and French fibre declaration Both versions are complete, equal in prominence and readable Dealer review Canadian postal identity or CA number Identity field matches the released Canadian programme Label sample Position, folding, print and attachment Required text is accessible and remains legible Bulk inspection Sealed artwork revision and destination allocation Correct Canadian label is on the correct style and colourway The [tech pack](/blog/2026/05/garment-tech-pack-guide) should name the Canadian label version, placement and source composition record. Add a label-impact question to each material change: does it alter fibre composition, a separately disclosed component, care performance or the released artwork? ## Short FAQ **Must a Canadian apparel label be bilingual?** Yes, for the required fibre-content information in most Canadian consumer sales areas. The Regulations have a narrow exception for an area where only one official language is continuously used for consumer purchases. **Can a CA number replace the fibre-content declaration?** No. An eligible CA Identification Number can replace the dealer's name and postal address. Fibre content remains a separate required disclosure. **Can an RN number be used as the CA number?** No. An RN is issued by the US Federal Trade Commission for its labelling system. A CA number is the Canadian dealer-identification option administered under Canada's textile rules. **Are care instructions mandatory on a federal Canadian textile label?** No. The Competition Bureau's federal textile guide describes care information as voluntary. If care information is given, it must not be false or misleading and should match the finished garment. ## The Canadian label judgement The Canadian label is not a US label with French added at the bottom. It is a separate compliance approval built from the final garment: bilingual fibre content, the right Canadian dealer identity or CA number, and a disclosure label that is legible, accessible and suitable for its product category. Treat the CA field as a Canadian dealer decision and treat the fibre declaration as a bilingual composition statement. Those are the two controls that most clearly show where a US artwork file stops and a Canadian garment label begins. Related pages - [Canada import guide→](/markets/canada) - [United States import guide→](/markets/united-states) Share[](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsurajmal.com%2Fblog%2F2026%2F08%2Fcanada-apparel-labelling-requirements) [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsurajmal.com%2Fblog%2F2026%2F08%2Fcanada-apparel-labelling-requirements&text=Canada%20Apparel%20Labelling%3A%20Bilingual%20Rules%2C%20CA%20Numbers%20and%20Fibre%20Content) [](https://wa.me/?text=Canada%20Apparel%20Labelling%3A%20Bilingual%20Rules%2C%20CA%20Numbers%20and%20Fibre%20Content%20https%3A%2F%2Fsurajmal.com%2Fblog%2F2026%2F08%2Fcanada-apparel-labelling-requirements) [](mailto:?subject=Canada%20Apparel%20Labelling%3A%20Bilingual%20Rules%2C%20CA%20Numbers%20and%20Fibre%20Content&body=https%3A%2F%2Fsurajmal.com%2Fblog%2F2026%2F08%2Fcanada-apparel-labelling-requirements) SSL Surajmal Editorial Team The Surajmal Editorial Team writes from inside a working textile export house in Kolkata, drawing on experience manufacturing garments, fabrics, and yarns for global retail buyers since 1968. Every article is reviewed by practitioners who source, sample, and ship the products they write about. On this page - [What must appear on an apparel label sold in Canada?](#what-must-appear-on-an-apparel-label-sold-in-canada) - [Which Canadian label information has to be bilingual?](#which-canadian-label-information-has-to-be-bilingual) - [How does a CA Identification Number work on a garment label?](#how-does-a-ca-identification-number-work-on-a-garment-label) - [How should fibre content be written for Canada?](#how-should-fibre-content-be-written-for-canada) - [How durable and accessible must the Canadian disclosure label be?](#how-durable-and-accessible-must-the-canadian-disclosure-label-be) - [Where does a US apparel label fall short in Canada?](#where-does-a-us-apparel-label-fall-short-in-canada) - [How should a Canadian label be released before bulk?](#how-should-a-canadian-label-be-released-before-bulk) - [Short FAQ](#short-faq) - [The Canadian label judgement](#the-canadian-label-judgement) More from the newsroom - [Compliance · 9 min Japan Apparel Labelling: Fibre Content, JIS Care Symbols and Labeller Details](/blog/2026/08/japan-apparel-labelling-jis-care-symbols) - [Compliance · 10 min Saudi SABER Textile Conformity: An Apparel Import Guide](/blog/2026/08/saudi-saber-textile-conformity-guide) - [Compliance · 11 min US Apparel Labelling: Fibre Content, Country of Origin and Care](/blog/2026/08/us-apparel-labelling-requirements) START A CONVERSATION ## Ready to source with _confidence?_ Send a brief and we'll reply within 24 hours, with a first sample in 4 to 10 days. [Get in Touch→](/contact)