Handloom Cotton Bed Linen

What it is (quality signal): Woven on handlooms in cotton (plain/percale, twill, dobby or jacquard). Strengths: softer hand from lower loom tension, visible weave character, and artisan provenance (often Fair-Trade/GI storytelling). Major exporting handloom hubs making bed linens & made-ups: Karur (TN), Panipat (HR), Kannur (Kerala)—all repeatedly named as India’s handloom export centers.

Where in India (clusters & scale):

• Karur, Tamil Nadu – India’s best-known home-textile hub (bedsheets/sets, duvet covers, pillowcases). The district’s 2025 District Export Action Plan notes ~₹6,900 crore annual foreign-exchange earnings from home textiles & related items.
  
• Panipat, Haryana – Large home-furnishing cluster (bed sheets, blankets, made-ups) with common-facility proposals to boost SME competitiveness.
  
• Kannur, Kerala – Historical handloom furnishing hub for bed spreads and home textiles geared to export.
  

How it ships (HS codes) & 2023 export anchors (India):
Handloom is not broken out separately in customs data; it sits inside HS 6302 (bed/table/toilet/kitchen linen)—with cotton bed linen split mainly across:

• 6302.31 – Bed linen of cotton (not printed): India-reported US$ ~463 m (≈25% of India’s HS 6302). Mirror/partner data indicate much higher flows—e.g., the US alone imported US$ ~762 m from India in 2023; OEC estimates India’s total exports at ~US$ 1.02 bn for 6302.31.
  
• 6302.21 – Printed bed linen of cotton: ~US$ 89 m (India-reported).
  
• HS 6302 (all bed/table/kitchen linen): ~US$ 1.79 bn in 2023; US ≈ 66% of India’s exports in this heading. (Use this as a ceiling when sizing India bed-linen capacity.)
  

Buyer quality checklist (what to specify/verify):

• Construction: weave type (percale/sateen/twill), yarn count, fabric mass, finishing (e.g., mercerized/sanforized).
  
• Colorfastness: test to ISO 105-C06 (domestic/commercial laundering).
  
• Chemicals/compliance (EU): ensure conformance with REACH Annex XVII (e.g., azo dyes, CMR Entry 72). OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is widely accepted proof, with set limit values (e.g., formaldehyde Class II ≤ 75 mg/kg).
  

India-specific edge: dense, export-oriented home-textile ecosystems (Karur/Panipat/Kannur) that can handle low-MOQs, custom weaves, and coordinated sets—supported by government programs (District Export Action Plans, cluster initiatives).

Organic Weaves Bed Linen (GOTS/OCS cotton)

What it is (quality signal): Woven bed linens using certified organic cotton with supply-chain verification via GOTS (processing + chemical inputs + social criteria) or OCS (content + chain-of-custody).

Where in India (sourcing & certification reality):

• India consistently accounts for the largest share of global organic cotton production; Textile Exchange’s market reports highlight India’s dominant role and India-Organic/NPOP linkages.
  
• GOTS footprint: The GOTS Annual Report 2023 shows India among the top countries by number of GOTS-certified facilities (processing to finished goods), supporting end-to-end organic programs for bed linen (spinning → weaving → wet-processing → CMT).
  

How it ships (HS codes) & market context:
Organic bed linen ships under the same HS lines as conventional cotton: 6302.31 (not printed) and 6302.21 (printed). For 2023 scale reference, see the values above; organic is a subset of those totals, but India’s certification base and raw-cotton availability enable large, traceable volumes for retailers. (India-reported HS 6302 total ~US$ 1.79 bn; US is the main destination.)

Buyer quality & compliance (what to write into the PO):

• Certification: GOTS (preferred for finished goods) or OCS (content + chain-of-custody); ensure valid scope certificates across all sites and transaction certificates with each shipment. (Textile Exchange and GOTS publish active policy/eligibility updates and certification statistics.)
  
• Chemical limits: GOTS has a positive list/negative list; for non-GOTS programs, require REACH Annex XVII compliance and consider OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 for defined limit values (pH, formaldehyde, heavy metals, etc.).
  
• Performance: colorfastness to wash (ISO 105-C06), rubbing (ISO 105-X12), perspiration (ISO 105-E04)—include test methods in the QA plan.
  

India-specific edge: unparalleled availability of organic cotton + largest pool of certified processors to run fully certified lines (gin → weave → dye/print → cut/sew), simplifying multi-factory compliance for private-label buyers

Quick reference: 2023 trade anchors

• HS 6302 (all bed/table/kitchen linen): India exports ~US$ 1.79 bn; US ≈ 66% of India’s exports in this heading.
• HS 6302.31 (cotton bed linen, not printed): India-reported ~US$ 463 m vs. partner-reported estimates of ~US$ 1.02 bn (OEC); US imports from India ≈ US$ 762 m. (Reporter vs. mirror data explain the spread; use the range for planning.)
• HS 6302.21 (printed cotton bed linen): ~US$ 89 m (India-reported).
  

What to ask suppliers

• Bill of materials: fiber origin (country/state), yarn count & ply, weave (percale/sateen/twill), fabric mass (g/m²).
  
• Dyes & auxiliaries: confirm azo-free; declare compliance with REACH Annex XVII and, if applicable, GOTS positive/negative lists.
  
• Testing: ISO 105-C06 wash fastness; include shrinkage and pilling requirements; attach latest OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 or GOTS/OCS scope + TCs.
  
• Traceability (organic): farm program, ginner, spinner, weaver, wet-processor, CMT—all sites listed on valid certificates/TCs.