100% Cotton Labeling in China: Pure Cotton, All Cotton and the 2026 Rules

100% cotton, pure cotton and all cotton can describe the same basic fiber composition under China’s textile labeling rules. They are alternative expressions, not different quality grades. Phrases such as “100% pure cotton” repeat the same claim, while names such as “cloud cotton,” “skin-friendly cotton” and “washed cotton” do not confirm any fiber percentage.

For a buyer, the useful question is simple: does the label match the fiber test, the product construction and the supporting documents? That check became more important after China’s revised Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Fiber Product Quality and GB 18383-2025 took effect on July 1, 2026.

Pure cotton, all cotton and 100% cotton: what is the difference?

When a textile contains only cotton and meets the conditions of GB/T 29862-2013, its fiber content may be stated as “100% cotton,” “pure cotton” or “all cotton.” In an English specification, 100% cotton is normally the clearest choice because it gives the percentage directly.

Wording	What it means	Recommended treatment
100% cotton / pure cotton / all cotton	A single-fiber cotton composition, subject to the standard’s conditions	Use one expression and keep the test record
100% pure cotton / 100% all cotton	The complete-fiber claim is repeated	Simplify it to 100% cotton
Combed cotton	A yarn preparation description	State cotton as the fiber and combed as a separate specification
Washed cotton	A finish or fabric-style description	Check the actual fiber percentages
Xinjiang long-staple cotton	An origin and cotton-variety claim	Keep traceability documents and still use the standard fiber name
Cloud cotton / soft cotton / skin-friendly cotton	A marketing name with no fixed composition	Do not use it in place of the fiber-content declaration

The percentage line should come first. Product names and hand-feel descriptions can provide additional information, but they cannot replace a proper composition label.

How GB/T 29862-2013 applies to 100% cotton

GB/T 29862-2013, Textiles—Identification of Fiber Content, remains the main Chinese national standard for naming textile fibers and declaring their content.

For a product made from one fiber, the standard allows “100%” before or after the fiber name, or the Chinese equivalent of “pure” or “all.” A cotton product that satisfies the single-fiber conditions can therefore use 100% cotton, pure cotton or all cotton.

A small amount of foreign fiber may appear unintentionally during normal production. Under the standard’s conditions, no more than 0.5% of unintended foreign fiber may be disregarded in a nominally single-fiber product. This tolerance does not allow a mill to add another fiber deliberately and continue declaring 100% cotton. Purchase records, production records and the test result should support the claim.

The standard also has a limited provision for identifiable decorative yarns or characteristic fibers, including certain elastic or metallic components. If their combined content is no more than 5%, “100%,” “pure” or “all” may be used only with wording that identifies the excluded fiber, such as “except elastic fiber.” Not every small blend qualifies. The component must meet the conditions stated in the standard.

Finished-product construction is where mistakes often begin. A supplier may provide 100% cotton yarn, but a sock, knitted garment or home textile can gain other fibers during knitting, sewing or assembly. Elastic plating, reinforcement yarn, lining, embroidery and filling all need to be considered at the product or component level required by the applicable rule.

Why marketing cotton names cannot replace fiber content

“Cloud cotton,” “baby cotton,” “warm cotton,” “soft cotton” and “skin-friendly cotton” usually describe a desired touch or product image. They are not standardized fiber names. Depending on the supplier, the material behind one of these names may be cotton, polyester, viscose or a blend.

“Washed cotton” is especially easy to misunderstand. Washing describes a treatment or visual effect. A washed fabric can be cotton, but it can also contain a high percentage of polyester or another fiber. The selling name alone cannot prove composition.

Truthful process descriptions can still be useful. For example, combed, compact-spun, mercerized and brushed tell a buyer something about yarn preparation or finishing. We keep those terms in the technical specification and put the generic fiber name and percentage on the composition line. This separation makes the label easier to test and defend.

An origin or variety claim needs separate evidence. “Xinjiang long-staple cotton,” for example, says more than the standard fiber name. A composition test can confirm cotton, but it does not prove where the cotton was grown. Use traceable purchasing and transaction documents when making that type of claim.

100% cotton does not automatically mean high quality

Our guide to cotton fiber structure and yarn behavior explains why staple properties influence spinning and fabric performance. In a real order, fiber content is only the first line of the specification.

What we check before approving the label

We begin with the supplier’s fiber declaration, purchase contract, batch number, certificate of analysis and any documents supporting an origin or certification claim. The report must match the material lot being used. A test report from an earlier delivery does not automatically cover the next batch.

The sample room then checks the actual construction. On an 18G sock machine, for example, the main yarn may be 100% cotton while plated elastane and nylon reinforcement are added at the cuff, heel or toe. The finished sock cannot simply copy “100% cotton” from the main-yarn invoice. Its label needs to reflect the construction that will ship.

We keep the yarn lot card, approved lab dip and trial details together. After knitting, a wash test helps us see shrinkage, shade movement, torque and surface hairiness. It cannot identify fiber percentages, but it often reveals whether the chosen yarn and finish are stable enough for bulk production.

When the construction or bulk lot changes, the relevant checks should be repeated. Final composition approval should rely on a qualified textile laboratory and the method required for the sales market. Hand feel and supplier descriptions are useful for screening, not for legal labeling.

Three quick ways to screen a cotton product

The original three checks—wrinkling, touch and burning—can help identify an obviously incorrect claim. None of them can replace a fiber-content test.

1. Check wrinkling and recovery

Squeeze and rub a small area of fabric. Cotton commonly creases and returns to a flat state more slowly than many synthetic fibers. A polyester-rich fabric may recover faster. However, resin finishing, knit structure and fiber blending can change this behavior.

2. Compare the hand feel

Cotton often feels soft with a slightly dry or less slippery surface. Many synthetic fabrics feel smoother or cooler at first touch. Modern finishing can imitate both effects, so even an experienced technician should not approve a label by touch alone.

3. Use burn observation only in a controlled area

Cotton generally burns readily, smells similar to burning paper and leaves soft grey-black ash. Thermoplastic synthetic fibers may shrink away from heat and leave a hard bead with a plastic-like odor. This observation may help screen an unknown swatch, but it cannot give an accurate blend percentage. It also involves flame and fumes, so it requires suitable ventilation and fire-safety procedures.

What the July 2026 fiber product rules require

The revised Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Fiber Product Quality, issued as SAMR Order No. 119, have applied since July 1, 2026. They cover the production and sale of fiber products for daily use and non-daily-use filled fiber products, as well as their use in commercial services, subject to the exclusions stated in the measure.

For factories, sellers and sourcing teams, the main points include:

• Fiber product labels must be truthful.
• Required information includes proof of product-quality inspection, the producer’s name and address, product name, specification and product standard number.
• Student uniforms, underwear and fiber products for infants and young children must state fiber composition, content and safety category.
• Products made with the recycled raw materials covered by the measure must disclose that recycled material is included.
• Producers must operate incoming-material inspection and record systems, with records retained for at least two years.

GB 18383-2025, General Technical Requirements for Products with Filling Materials, also took effect on July 1, 2026. Its scope is filled products. It should not be treated as the fiber-content standard for every cotton T-shirt, fabric or sock.

In practice, use GB/T 29862 for fiber-content identification, the revised supervision measure for the broader regulatory duties, and the relevant product and safety standards for the specific goods. Both July 2026 requirements are already in force, so current specifications, labels and supplier records should reflect them.

A practical checklist for 100% cotton orders

1. State the composition numerically. Use 100% cotton in the technical specification instead of relying on “pure,” “natural” or a collection name.
2. Define what the claim covers. Specify whether it applies to the yarn, shell fabric, lining, filling or complete finished product.
3. List every intentional component. Include elastic, plating yarn, reinforcement, sewing thread, decoration and coatings where applicable.
4. Separate composition from processing. Combed, compact-spun, mercerized and washed are process descriptions.
5. Support origin and variety claims. Keep traceable documents for long-staple, regional or certified cotton.
6. Match reports to the correct lot. Tie the sample, lab dip, test report and bulk delivery to the same production reference.
7. Test the finished construction. Extra fibers added during knitting or sewing may change the final label.
8. Keep records available. Follow the retention periods and documentation duties that apply to the product.

Common questions from cotton buyers

Can a fabric containing elastane still be labeled 100% cotton?

Do not assume that it can. The decorative or characteristic-fiber provision has specific conditions, a combined 5% ceiling and an exception statement. A deliberately blended stretch fabric normally needs the actual cotton and elastane percentages.

Does combed cotton always mean better quality?

Combing removes more short fibers and impurities before spinning and can improve yarn evenness and surface cleanliness. Final quality still depends on the raw cotton, spinning control, yarn specification, knitting and finishing.

Does washed cotton mean pure cotton?

No. “Washed” describes a treatment or style. The base fabric may be cotton, synthetic fiber or a blend. Check the standard fiber-content declaration.

Is a burn test enough for label approval?

No. It can support a quick screening, but it cannot reliably quantify a blend or identify every fiber. Use the appropriate laboratory method for the final declaration.