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Textiles & apparel

Export home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen)

Bedsheets, towels and kitchen linen for retailers; the USA buys more than half of India's exports.

Free to exportHS 6302
HS code
6302
Bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen — bedsheets, pillow covers, towels, napkins, kitchen towels.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export. Made-ups are covered by RoSCTL; confirm your line in the current RoSCTL schedule.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 2.01 bn
to 130 countries

What is exported

India is a leading supplier of cotton bedsheets, towels and kitchen linen, made in clusters such as Panipat, Karur, Solapur and Erode. Large retailers buy through importers or buying offices and expect consistent shade, size and packaging. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 2.0 billion under HS 6302; the USA took over half, followed by the UK, Australia, Germany and Canada.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Bed linen — sheets, duvet covers, pillow casesMostly cotton percale and sateen; thread count and finish are the main specifications.
  • Terry towels and bath linenSold by GSM (weight per square metre) and size; Solapur and Gujarat mills are big suppliers.
  • Kitchen and table linenTea towels, aprons, napkins and tablecloths — a strong line for Karur.
  • Curtains, cushion covers and throwsFurnishing made-ups, often woven or printed in Panipat and Karur.
  • Quilts, bedspreads and blanketsIncluding Panipat recycled-yarn blankets and printed cotton quilts.

Where it is grown or made

  • HaryanaPanipat — rugs, blankets, curtains and furnishing made-ups
  • Tamil NaduKarur — kitchen, table and bed linen; Erode and Tiruppur
  • MaharashtraSolapur — terry towels and chaddars
  • GujaratKutch (Anjar) and Ahmedabad — large integrated towel and sheet mills
  • PunjabBarnala and Ludhiana — terry towels and bed linen mills

Export packing

  • Sets are packed in retail packs (PVC zip bags, card inserts or bellybands) with the buyer's barcode, then in 5-ply export cartons.
  • Labels carry fibre content, size, care instructions and country of origin as the buyer country requires.
  • Bulk towels may go compressed in bales; any wooden pallets must be ISPM-15 treated.

Who buys abroad

  • Large retail chains and department stores (private labels)
  • Home-furnishing brands
  • Hotel and hospitality suppliers
  • Importers and wholesalers
  • Online home-decor sellers

The quality buyers ask for

Thread count
Warp plus weft threads per square inch for sheets (ASTM D3775); buyers specify the yarn count and weave behind it
Towel weight
GSM and weight per piece; pile and ground yarn counts
Absorbency
Water absorbency of towels (ASTM D4772) after a set number of washes
Shrinkage and colour fastness
Dimensional stability after home laundering and colour fastness to washing and rubbing (ISO 105 series)
Sizes
Bed sizes differ by market (US twin, full, queen, king; EU 140×200 cm and others); pocket depth for fitted sheets
Chemicals
Buyer's restricted substances list, azo dyes and formaldehyde limits; OEKO-TEX product class for items touching skin

Certificates

  • Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI, SMETA or SA8000)RequiredRetailers in Europe and the USA require a recognised audit of the weaving, processing and stitching units.
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100Often askedHarmful-substance test; one of the most requested labels on bed and bath products.
  • GOTSOften askedFor organic cotton sheets and towels; the whole chain must be certified.
  • GRSOften askedFor blankets, rugs and throws made with recycled fibre (common in Panipat).
  • Cotton traceability (Better Cotton, Kasturi Cotton Bharat, DNA or isotope testing)Often askedUS retailers ask for proof of cotton origin because of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
  • ISO 9001 / ISO 14001Often askedQuality and environmental management; asked for by large importers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Mostly 40-ft and 40-ft high-cube containers, since towels and quilts are bulky. Vacuum-packing quilts and pillows saves space. LCL works for first trial orders.

How it travels

Sea freight; air only for samples.

Storage

Keep finished goods dry; cotton picks up moisture and mildew in monsoon months.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Fibre content and country of origin on every piece; care label with washing instructions.
  • Size and, for sheets, thread count claims that match the test report — US retailers check thread-count claims.
  • Retail packaging with barcode, product description in the selling language and any certification logo only with a valid licence number.
Where to get it tested

Use an NABL-accredited textile lab (search 'textiles' on the NABL site) or the lab your buyer names. Textile research associations — SITRA near Karur and Tiruppur, NITRA near Panipat, BTRA in Mumbai and ATIRA in Ahmedabad — test towels and sheets for GSM, absorbency, shrinkage and colour fastness.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • TEXPROCILRCMC for cotton made-ups (bed linen, towels, kitchen linen).texprocil.org ↗
  • SRTEPC / PDEXCIL / HEPC (depending on fibre and loom)Synthetic made-ups go to SRTEPC, powerloom products to PDEXCIL and handloom products to HEPC, as per DGFT Appendix 2T.content.dgft.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • US fibre-content, origin and care labelling under FTC rules.
  • Lab tests the buyer specifies: thread count, GSM, shrinkage, colour fastness; many retailers also ask for a restricted-substances certificate.
  • Cotton traceability for US-bound goods under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
How to start small

Start with one item, such as cotton kitchen towels or table napkins, where order sizes are smaller than bedsheet programmes. Source from a cluster weaver, get a TEXPROCIL RCMC, and approach small importers and online home-decor sellers in the UK or Australia with priced samples.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Shade variation between lots — retailers reject or discount mismatched sets.
  • Size and thread-count claims that a lab test does not support; this can trigger a recall or chargeback.
  • Depending on one US buyer: a tariff change or a lost programme can stop all orders at once.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 6302 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. US FTC — Labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts
  5. US Customs and Border Protection — Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
  6. US International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (current US duty rates)
  7. TEXPROCIL — official site

Trade data

Indian home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen) exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 2.01 bn
+5.1% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -5.7%
US$ 2.13 bn → US$ 2.01 bn
Buyer countries
130
Average export price
US$ 6.65
per kg · 3,01,565 tonnes shipped · US$ 6.91 the year before
United States of America: US$ 1.15 bnUnited Kingdom: US$ 91.7 mnAustralia: US$ 90.4 mnGermany: US$ 69.8 mnCanada: US$ 59.5 mnFrance: US$ 52.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 37.6 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 34.6 mnJapan: US$ 30.1 mnItaly: US$ 22.1 mnSpain: US$ 18.2 mnSouth Africa: US$ 11.8 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 8.7 mnUnited States of America: US$ 1.15 bnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 91.7 mnUnited KingdomAustralia: US$ 90.4 mnAustraliaGermany: US$ 69.8 mnCanada: US$ 59.5 mnFrance: US$ 52.9 mnNetherlands: US$ 37.6 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 34.6 mnUnited Arab EmiratesJapan: US$ 30.1 mnJapanItaly: US$ 22.1 mnItalySpain: US$ 18.2 mnSouth Africa: US$ 11.8 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 8.7 mnIndia
Where Indian home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen) goes — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 1.57 bn1.6k2020-212021-22: US$ 2.34 bn2.3k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.91 bn1.9k2022-232023-24: US$ 1.86 bn1.9k2023-242024-25: US$ 2.13 bn2.1k2024-252025-26: US$ 2.01 bn2.0k2025-26
India’s home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen) exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2025-26 — a 25% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 6.76 per kg2021-22: US$ 8.35 per kg8.352022-23: US$ 8.01 per kg2024-25: US$ 6.91 per kg2025-26: US$ 6.65 per kg6.652020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen) · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 1.57 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 2.34 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 1.91 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 1.86 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 2.13 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 2.01 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 2.14 bn (US$ 1.77 bn – US$ 2.6 bn)2.1k2026-272027-28: US$ 2.2 bn (US$ 1.78 bn – US$ 2.73 bn)2.2k2027-28
India’s home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen) exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 2.2 bn

Likely range US$ 1.78 bn to US$ 2.73 bn.

Trend
+2.7% a year
Fit (R²)
0.14 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 1.15 bn-13.3%
2United KingdomUS$ 91.7 mn+1.4%
3AustraliaUS$ 90.4 mn+15.3%
4GermanyUS$ 69.8 mn+2.3%
5CanadaUS$ 59.5 mn-4%
6FranceUS$ 52.9 mn+39.5%
7NetherlandsUS$ 37.6 mn-27.7%
8United Arab EmiratesUS$ 34.6 mn+7.3%
9PolandUS$ 31.7 mn+27.8%
10MexicoUS$ 30.2 mn-25%
11JapanUS$ 30.1 mn-4.5%
12SwedenUS$ 29.6 mn+57.4%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. SwedenUS$ 18.8 mn → US$ 29.6 mn+57.4%
  2. FranceUS$ 37.9 mn → US$ 52.9 mn+39.5%
  3. ItalyUS$ 16.7 mn → US$ 22.1 mn+32.3%
  4. PolandUS$ 24.8 mn → US$ 31.7 mn+27.8%
  5. DenmarkUS$ 20.6 mn → US$ 24.7 mn+19.9%
  6. AustraliaUS$ 78.4 mn → US$ 90.4 mn+15.3%

Low demand

  1. NetherlandsUS$ 52 mn → US$ 37.6 mn-27.7%
  2. MexicoUS$ 40.2 mn → US$ 30.2 mn-25%
  3. IsraelUS$ 37.9 mn → US$ 29.3 mn-22.7%
  4. United States of AmericaUS$ 1.33 bn → US$ 1.15 bn-13.3%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Toilet linen and kitchen linen, of terry towelling or similar terry fabrics, of cotton, other than handloom6302 60 90 · Kitchen and toilet linen, of terry towelling or similar terry fabrics, of cottonUS$ 1.1 bn-6.7%1,96,792 tonnesUS$ 5.61 per kgwas US$ 5.77
Bed linen, of cotton — other bed linen of cotton6302 31 00US$ 408 mn-15.6%41,561 tonnesUS$ 9.82 per kgwas US$ 10.49
Other bed linen, table lenen, toilet linen, kitchen linen: of cotton, other than handloom6302 91 90 · Toilet and kitchen linen, of cotton, excluding terry towelling or similar terry fabricsUS$ 142 mn+25.6%18,812 tonnesUS$ 7.52 per kgwas US$ 7.80
Other bed linen, printed: of cotton, other than handloom6302 21 90 · Bed linen, of cotton, printed, not knitted or crochetedUS$ 99.4 mn-13.7%10,154 tonnesUS$ 9.79 per kgwas US$ 10.16
Other table linen: of cotton, other than handloom6302 51 90 · Table linen, of cotton, not knitted or crochetedUS$ 65.7 mn+22.8%7,673 tonnesUS$ 8.57 per kgwas US$ 8.14
Table linen of cotton,hnd knitted/crocheted6302 40 30 · Table linen, knitted or crochetedUS$ 38.7 mn+15.7%4,989 tonnesUS$ 7.75 per kgwas US$ 8.28
Other bed linen of man-made fibres6302 32 00 · Bed linen, of man-made fibresUS$ 33.4 mn+2.8%5,425 tonnesUS$ 6.15 per kgwas US$ 6.52
Other bed linen of other textile materials6302 39 00 · Bed linen, of textile materials other than cotton or man-made fibresUS$ 23.7 mn-6.4%2,703 tonnesUS$ 8.76 per kgwas US$ 8.92
Bed linen,knted/crocheted of cotton6302 10 10 · Bed linen, knitted or crochetedUS$ 17.8 mn-10.2%3,300 tonnesUS$ 5.39 per kgwas US$ 7.08
Table linen, of textile materials, not knitted or crocheted — other table linen of flax6302 59 00US$ 17.1 mn+14%1,749 tonnesUS$ 9.79 per kgwas US$ 10.16
Tble linn of all other fbrs,knitd/crochtd6302 40 90 · Table linen, knitted or crochetedUS$ 12 mn+23.6%1,517 tonnesUS$ 7.88 per kgwas US$ 7.79
Toilet and kitchen linen, of textile materials — other linen of flax6302 99 00US$ 10.9 mn+26.2%1,839 tonnesUS$ 5.90 per kgwas US$ 6.86
Printed bed linen of man-made fibres6302 22 00 · Bed linen, of man-made fibres, printed, not knitted or crochetedUS$ 8.3 mn-17%1,752 tonnesUS$ 4.71 per kgwas US$ 4.73
All other bed linens knitted or crocheted6302 10 90 · Bed linen, knitted or crochetedUS$ 6.6 mn-12.3%628 tonnesUS$ 10.56 per kgwas US$ 8.94

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 19 bn
2023
India among exporters
#3
of 155 countries
India’s share of world exports
8.2%
US$ 1.79 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 20.1 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 9.47 bn 43.2%
  2. 2PakistanUS$ 3.87 bn 17.6%
  3. 3IndiaUS$ 1.79 bn 8.2%
  4. 4TürkiyeUS$ 1.12 bn 5.1%
  5. 5GermanyUS$ 778 mn 3.6%
  6. 6PortugalUS$ 574 mn 2.6%
  7. 7FranceUS$ 378 mn 1.7%
  8. 8Viet NamUS$ 347 mn 1.6%
  9. 9ItalyUS$ 309 mn 1.4%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 303 mn 1.4%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 5.95 bn 31.3%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 1.62 bn 8.5%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 1.1 bn 5.8%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 1.1 bn 5.8%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 973 mn 5.1%
  6. 6ItalyUS$ 607 mn 3.2%
  7. 7AustraliaUS$ 599 mn 3.2%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 573 mn 3%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 540 mn 2.8%
  10. 10CanadaUS$ 513 mn 2.7%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 6.23 bnIndia 35.5% · gap US$ 4.02 bn
GermanyUS$ 1.62 bnIndia 7.3% · gap US$ 1.5 bn
FranceUS$ 1.13 bnIndia 6.8% · gap US$ 1.05 bn
JapanUS$ 1.03 bnIndia 3.6% · gap US$ 994 mn
United KingdomUS$ 973 mnIndia 12.2% · gap US$ 854 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 669 mnIndia 6.2% · gap US$ 628 mn
ItalyUS$ 558 mnIndia 5.6% · gap US$ 527 mn
AustraliaUS$ 599 mnIndia 17.7% · gap US$ 493 mn
SpainUS$ 501 mnIndia 5.1% · gap US$ 476 mn
CanadaUS$ 539 mnIndia 27.3% · gap US$ 392 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen)

India is one of the largest suppliers of cotton home textiles to the USA and Europe, competing mainly with China, Pakistan, Turkey and Bangladesh. Its strengths are terry towels, bed linen and kitchen linen made from home-grown cotton, and the furnishing clusters of Panipat and Karur. Demand follows housing, hotel refurbishing and retail promotions, and buyers increasingly want organic, recycled and traceable products. Openings for a newcomer are in hotel linen, private-label kitchen and table linen for smaller retailers, and recycled-fibre rugs and throws.

  1. 01Choose a product line

    Start with one line — towels, kitchen linen or sheets — and match it to a cluster that makes it well.

  2. 02Develop samples and price

    Make samples in the buyer's colours and sizes; cost yarn, weaving, processing, stitching, packing and freight.

  3. 03Lab test and audit

    Test against the buyer's specification and complete the social audit of every unit in the chain.

  4. 04Confirm order and packaging artwork

    Get written approval of labels, inserts and barcodes before printing.

  5. 05Produce and inspect

    Run bulk with shade-band approvals and a final AQL inspection.

  6. 06Ship and claim benefits

    File the shipping bill with the right Chapter 63 line; claim RoSCTL and drawback where they apply.

  7. 07Payment and repeat

    Collect payment and agree the next season's range early — home textiles run on seasonal programmes.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen)

Is a higher thread count always better?
No. Yarn quality and finish matter as much. Never print a thread count you cannot prove with a test report; US buyers have faced claims over inflated counts.
What is a shade band?
A set of approved colour swatches showing the acceptable range for a colour. Bulk outside the band can be rejected.
Do hotels buy directly from exporters?
Large chains usually buy through linen suppliers and importers. Approach those suppliers with hotel-grade samples that survive industrial laundering.
Which council gives the RCMC?
TEXPROCIL for cotton made-ups; HEPC for handloom items; other councils by fibre. Check products-page registrations and pick the council for your main fibre.
Can I sell recycled blankets as 'recycled'?
Only with proof. Big buyers ask for GRS or RCS certification and transaction certificates showing the recycled content.
Sources (8)
  1. TEXPROCIL — official site
  2. OEKO-TEX — STANDARD 100
  3. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
  4. US CBP — Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
  5. US FTC — Threading your way through the labelling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts
  6. EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and labelling
  7. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  8. SITRA — The South India Textile Research Association

Who buys Indian home textiles (bed, bath and kitchen linen)

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