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Textiles & apparel

Export towels and terry products

Bath towels, beach towels, bathrobes and kitchen towels from Solapur, Karur and Panipat for US and European retailers.

Free to exportHS 6302.60
HS code
6302.60
Toilet and kitchen linen of terry towelling or similar terry fabrics of cotton (6302 60) and other toilet and kitchen linen of cotton (6302 91).
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS) Schedule 2; no licence is needed. Confirm the 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 1.25 bn
to 120 countries

What is exported

India is one of the largest suppliers of cotton terry towels to the USA and Europe. Large integrated mills in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh supply big-box retailers, while clusters in Solapur, Karur, Erode and Panipat serve smaller importers. Retailers want consistent GSM, absorbency, softness and full social and chemical compliance.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Bath, hand and face towelsCombed or ring-spun cotton, 400–700 GSM.
  • Beach and pool towelsVelour and jacquard, printed or yarn-dyed.
  • Hotel and spa towelsWhite, durable, industrial-wash ready.
  • Bathrobes and kitchen towelsTerry robes; waffle and huck kitchen towels.
  • Organic and zero-twist towelsPremium lines with GOTS or other certification.

Where it is grown or made

  • MaharashtraSolapur — terry towels and chaddars; large mills near Nagpur and Mumbai.
  • Tamil NaduKarur and Erode; Tiruppur.
  • Gujarat and Madhya PradeshIntegrated home-textile mills.
  • HaryanaPanipat — towels, bath mats and made-ups.

Export packing

  • Folded sets with bands or header cards, polybagged, in five-ply export cartons with retail barcodes as the buyer specifies.
  • Wooden pallets must be ISPM-15 heat-treated and stamped.

Who buys abroad

  • Big-box retailers and department stores in the USA and Europe
  • Hotel and spa suppliers
  • Importers and online brands

The quality buyers ask for

GSM
Typically 400–700 GSM for bath towels; lighter for kitchen and beach towels
Absorbency
Absorbency time within the buyer’s standard (often a few seconds)
Size
e.g. 70×140 cm bath, 50×90 cm hand, 30×30 cm face, within tolerance
Colour fastness
Washing, rubbing, light and perspiration, usually grade 3–4 or better (ISO 105 / AATCC methods)
Restricted substances
No banned azo dyes; formaldehyde, pH and heavy metals within REACH and buyer limits

Certificates

  • RCMCRequiredRegistration with the export promotion council or board for your product (not needed up to ₹3 lakh FOB per consignment since 15 Sep 2026).
  • OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100Often askedTests the finished textile for harmful substances; widely asked for by retailers.
  • GOTSOften askedGlobal Organic Textile Standard, for goods sold as organic cotton or silk.
  • BCI / Kasturi Cotton BharatOften askedTraceable or responsibly grown cotton programmes that brands ask for.
  • Social audit (SA8000, BSCI/amfori, SMETA, WRAP)Often askedLabour and workplace audit required by most Western retailers before they place orders.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Cartons in 40-ft high-cube containers; towels are bulky, so plan by volume.

How it travels

Sea from Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Chennai and Tuticorin.

Storage

Dry warehouse; damp towels develop mildew and odour.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • USA: fibre content by percentage, country of origin and the manufacturer’s name or RN number on a permanent label (FTC Textile Act rules); care label for consumer goods.
  • EU: fibre names and percentages under Regulation (EU) 1007/2011, in the language of the selling country; care symbols are commonly expected.
  • Retail packs: size, GSM if claimed, care instructions, barcode and the importer’s details as required.
Where to get it tested

Test at the textile research associations — SITRA (Coimbatore), NITRA (Ghaziabad), BTRA (Mumbai), ATIRA (Ahmedabad) — at Textiles Committee laboratories, or at any NABL-accredited textile lab (search the NABL directory for “textiles” and your city). Retail buyers often name a global test house with labs in India.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • TEXPROCILRCMC from the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, which covers raw cotton, cotton yarn, cotton fabrics (including knit fabrics) and cotton made-ups such as towels, bed linen and scarves.texprocil.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Buyer test reports for fibre content, GSM, colour fastness, shrinkage and restricted chemicals (azo dyes, formaldehyde); EU buyers apply REACH limits.
  • Fibre-traceability declarations: US Customs can detain cotton goods under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act unless you can show the cotton’s origin.
  • Absorbency, GSM, pile retention and dimensional stability tests, plus country-of-origin and fibre labelling.
  • US tariffs on Indian goods changed several times in 2025–26 (US-India joint statement of February 2026 and later US actions). Check the current US duty for your HTS line and confirm it with the buyer before quoting.
How to start small

Start with a Solapur or Karur terry unit making hotel or spa towels, and offer them to hospitality suppliers in the Gulf, UK or Australia. Send a sample set with test reports and ship a mixed LCL lot. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Towels lighter than the contracted GSM; buyers weigh every lot.
  • Using fabric softeners or dyes that fail the buyer’s restricted-substance list.
  • Quoting US buyers without checking the current US tariff on Indian textiles.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. TEXPROCIL — The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council
  3. PIB — RoSCTL guidelines (apparel under Chapters 61–62 and made-ups under Chapter 63)
  4. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications
  5. US FTC — Labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts
  6. US International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (current US duty rates)
  7. PIB — India-UK CETA enters into force (15 Jul 2026): zero-duty access for nearly 99% of India’s exports

Trade data

Indian towels and terry products exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 1.25 bn
+3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -4%
US$ 1.3 bn → US$ 1.25 bn
Buyer countries
120
Average export price
US$ 5.78
per kg · 2,16,740 tonnes shipped · US$ 5.91 the year before
United States of America: US$ 705 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 64.9 mnAustralia: US$ 46 mnFrance: US$ 39.6 mnGermany: US$ 32.1 mnCanada: US$ 30.7 mnJapan: US$ 27 mnNetherlands: US$ 26.1 mnPoland: US$ 25.1 mnMexico: US$ 24.9 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 22.8 mnSweden: US$ 18.4 mnIsrael: US$ 16.9 mnDenmark: US$ 16.1 mnChile: US$ 14.4 mnNew Zealand: US$ 11.7 mnSouth Africa: US$ 10.5 mnSpain: US$ 10.1 mnItaly: US$ 8.3 mnBrazil: US$ 5.6 mnTaiwan: US$ 5.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.3 mnThailand: US$ 4.7 mnUnited States of America: US$ 705 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 64.9 mnUnited KingdomAustralia: US$ 46 mnAustraliaFrance: US$ 39.6 mnGermany: US$ 32.1 mnCanada: US$ 30.7 mnJapan: US$ 27 mnJapanNetherlands: US$ 26.1 mnPoland: US$ 25.1 mnMexico: US$ 24.9 mnMexicoUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 22.8 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSweden: US$ 18.4 mnIsrael: US$ 16.9 mnDenmark: US$ 16.1 mnChile: US$ 14.4 mnNew Zealand: US$ 11.7 mnSouth Africa: US$ 10.5 mnSpain: US$ 10.1 mnItaly: US$ 8.3 mnBrazil: US$ 5.6 mnTaiwan: US$ 5.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 5.3 mnThailand: US$ 4.7 mnIndia
Where Indian towels and terry products goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 1.08 bn1.1k2020-212021-22: US$ 993 mn9932021-222022-23: US$ 1.05 bn1.1k2022-232023-24: US$ 1.14 bn1.1k2023-242024-25: US$ 1.3 bn1.3k2024-252025-26: US$ 1.25 bn1.3k2025-26
India’s towels and terry products exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2025-26 — a 14% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 5.89 per kg2021-22: US$ 6.35 per kg2022-23: US$ 6.57 per kg6.572024-25: US$ 5.91 per kg2025-26: US$ 5.78 per kg5.782020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian towels and terry products · 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$ 1.08 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 993 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 1.05 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 1.14 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 1.3 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 1.25 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 1.33 bn (US$ 1.22 bn – US$ 1.46 bn)1.3k2026-272027-28: US$ 1.4 bn (US$ 1.27 bn – US$ 1.54 bn)1.4k2027-28
India’s towels and terry products exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 1.4 bn

Likely range US$ 1.27 bn to US$ 1.54 bn.

Trend
+4.8% a year
Fit (R²)
0.7
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$ 705 mn-10.5%
2United KingdomUS$ 64.9 mn-2.2%
3AustraliaUS$ 46 mn-1.1%
4FranceUS$ 39.6 mn+39.2%
5GermanyUS$ 32.1 mn+13.6%
6CanadaUS$ 30.7 mn-0.4%
7JapanUS$ 27 mn-5.8%
8NetherlandsUS$ 26.1 mn-28.7%
9PolandUS$ 25.1 mn+40.8%
10MexicoUS$ 24.9 mn-4.1%
11United Arab EmiratesUS$ 22.8 mn+6.4%
12SwedenUS$ 18.4 mn+50.8%

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$ 12.2 mn → US$ 18.4 mn+50.8%
  2. PolandUS$ 17.8 mn → US$ 25.1 mn+40.8%
  3. FranceUS$ 28.5 mn → US$ 39.6 mn+39.2%
  4. DenmarkUS$ 13.1 mn → US$ 16.1 mn+23.6%
  5. ChileUS$ 12.1 mn → US$ 14.4 mn+18.4%
  6. GermanyUS$ 28.3 mn → US$ 32.1 mn+13.6%

Low demand

  1. NetherlandsUS$ 36.6 mn → US$ 26.1 mn-28.7%
  2. IsraelUS$ 22.3 mn → US$ 16.9 mn-24.3%
  3. United States of AmericaUS$ 788 mn → US$ 705 mn-10.5%

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
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
Toilet linen and kitchen linen, of terry towelling or similar terry fabrics, of cotton, handloom6302 60 10 · Kitchen and toilet linen, of terry towelling or similar terry fabrics, of cottonUS$ 6.1 mn-8.9%1,074 tonnesUS$ 5.69 per kgwas US$ 5.42
Other bed linen, table lenen, toilet linen, kitchen linen: of cotton, handloom6302 91 10 · Toilet and kitchen linen, of cotton, excluding terry towelling or similar terry fabricsUS$ 550k-3.5%61 tonnesUS$ 9.02 per kgwas US$ 8.49

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$ 6.54 bn
2023
India among exporters
#2
of 139 countries
India’s share of world exports
16.2%
US$ 1.1 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 5.71 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 2.25 bn 33%
  2. 2IndiaUS$ 1.1 bn 16.2%
  3. 3PakistanUS$ 1.01 bn 14.9%
  4. 4TürkiyeUS$ 592 mn 8.7%
  5. 5Viet NamUS$ 301 mn 4.4%
  6. 6PortugalUS$ 227 mn 3.3%
  7. 7UzbekistanUS$ 208 mn 3.1%
  8. 8GermanyUS$ 164 mn 2.4%
  9. 9FranceUS$ 85 mn 1.2%
  10. 10NetherlandsUS$ 72.9 mn 1.1%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.26 bn 34.6%
  2. 2JapanUS$ 618 mn 9.4%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 384 mn 5.9%
  4. 4FranceUS$ 291 mn 4.4%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 262 mn 4%
  6. 6KazakhstanUS$ 253 mn 3.9%
  7. 7ItalyUS$ 191 mn 2.9%
  8. 8SpainUS$ 168 mn 2.6%
  9. 9AustraliaUS$ 163 mn 2.5%
  10. 10NetherlandsUS$ 154 mn 2.4%

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$ 2.28 bnIndia 41.3% · gap US$ 1.34 bn
JapanUS$ 581 mnIndia 5% · gap US$ 552 mn
GermanyUS$ 403 mnIndia 13.5% · gap US$ 348 mn
FranceUS$ 280 mnIndia 16.5% · gap US$ 234 mn
United KingdomUS$ 262 mnIndia 25.9% · gap US$ 194 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 197 mnIndia 13.8% · gap US$ 170 mn
ItalyUS$ 173 mnIndia 6.6% · gap US$ 162 mn
SpainUS$ 158 mnIndia 8.6% · gap US$ 145 mn
CanadaUS$ 170 mnIndia 27.3% · gap US$ 124 mn
AustraliaUS$ 163 mnIndia 33.6% · gap US$ 108 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 towels and terry products

China, India, Pakistan and Turkey are the main exporters of cotton terry towels, with the USA and the EU the largest markets. India’s strengths are its cotton base, large integrated mills and smaller flexible clusters. Retailers want quality consistency, sustainability claims they can verify (organic, BCI, recycled) and full compliance. Openings lie in premium and hotel towels and in the UK market under CETA.

  1. 01Send samples and agree the spec

    Send swatches or cones with test reports; fix construction, GSM or count, shade, tolerances, packing and the testing lab in the purchase order.

  2. 02Pass the buyer audit

    Most retailers need a social and chemical-management audit before the first order.

  3. 03Weave, dye and stitch

    Weave terry, dye or yarn-dye, cut, hem and attach labels.

  4. 04Final inspection

    Third-party inspection to AQL before shipment, as the buyer requires.

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting towels and terry products

Do towels get RoDTEP?
No. Towels are Chapter 63 made-ups under RoSCTL; drawback may also apply. Check current rates and status.
What do US retailers check?
Social audit, chemical tests, cotton traceability, labelling and AQL inspection.
Is Solapur terry towel a GI?
Yes, Solapur Terry Towel is a registered Geographical Indication.
How do US tariffs affect towels?
US tariffs on Indian goods changed several times in 2025–26; check the current rate for your HTS line before quoting.
Can a small exporter start?
Yes — hotel, spa and gift-towel buyers place smaller orders than big-box retailers.
Sources (6)
  1. TEXPROCIL — The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council
  2. PIB — RoSCTL guidelines (apparel under Chapters 61–62 and made-ups under Chapter 63)
  3. IP India (Geographical Indications Registry) — Registration details of Geographical Indications
  4. US FTC — Labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts
  5. US International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (current US duty rates)
  6. PIB — India-UK CETA enters into force (15 Jul 2026): zero-duty access for nearly 99% of India’s exports

Who buys Indian towels and terry products

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