What the category covers & HS codes

“Handloom cotton fabrics” are cotton fabrics woven on non-power looms. In tariff terms they fall under cotton woven fabric headings 5208–5212 (weight/composition sub-splits), and some jurisdictions explicitly recognize “certified hand-loomed fabrics” within 5208/5209 (e.g., US HTS notes).

Practical note: International trade stats don’t isolate “handloom” inside these HS codes; so buyers track (a) handloom product exports from India (HEPC/DGCI&S) and (b) overall cotton fabric exports (Texprocil/DGCI&S).

A) India’s handloom product exports (all fibres & categories):

• Apr–Jan 2024–25: ₹969.63 cr / US$115.28 mn, slightly up YoY (+0.79% in INR).
  
• Apr–Nov 2024: ₹776.58 cr / US$92.73 mn (decline moderating vs earlier months).
  
• FY 2022–23: ₹1,445.53 cr handloom exports (context baseline).
  

B) India’s cotton fabrics exports (HS 5208–5212 subset within cotton textiles):

• FY 2024–25 (Apr–Mar): US$2,386.56 mn, +5.83% YoY. Top markets: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, USA; Top-10 now ~68% of total. (Texprocil from DGCI&S data.)
  
• For the full cotton-textiles basket (yarn/fabrics/made-ups), US$10.56 bn in 2024–25 (Apr–Mar), +1.45% YoY; fabrics HS coverage explicitly includes 5208–5212.
  

Why this matters: If you’re sourcing handloom cotton fabrics, pricing and capacity are influenced by the broader cotton-fabric export cycle even when the line you buy is certified handloom.

Quality specs & testing

Key performance & typical test methods (ISO):

• Color fastness to washing — ISO 105-C06; to rubbing — ISO 105-X12; to water/sea/pool — ISO 105-E01/E02/E03 (select as per end-use)
  
• Dimensional change (shrinkage) — ISO 5077 (specify wash/dry program).
  
• Tensile strength — ISO 13934-1 (strip method); Tear — ISO 13937-2 (trouser tear).
  
• Pilling resistance — ISO 12945-2 (Martindale) (apparel & furnishing weights).
  

Chemicals & labelling compliance (core markets):

• EU: Azo amines (Annex XVII) and broader Entry 72 restriction of 33 CMR substances for textiles in skin contact (in force since 1 Nov 2020). Align your MRSL/QC to Entry 72 limits.
  
• US: Textile Fiber Rule (16 CFR 303) for fibre content/identification and Care Labeling Rule (16 CFR 423) (piece goods must carry care info on bolt; garments need permanent labels). ISO 3758:2023 symbols are the latest reference.
  

What to specify to mills/co-ops:

• Fibre: 100% cotton (staple, origin if needed; e.g., Kasturi-traceable Indian cotton).
• Yarn count & construction (e.g., 60s/60s plain weave; EPI×PPI; target GSM).
  
• Dye class (reactive/vat), azo-free requirement, and fastness grades per ISO method above.
  
• Tolerances on shade/torque/bowing; finishing (calender/softener/enzymes) and shrinkage max per ISO 5077 program.
  

Authenticity & quality marks (India)

• Handloom Mark — government-backed label verifying hand-woven origin (Textiles Committee / O/o DC(Handlooms)). Use it to de-risk power-loom substitution.
  
• India Handloom Brand (IHB) — premium quality endorsement (raw material, processing, embellishment, weaving) with social & environmental compliance; program highlights AZO-free / natural dyes.
  

Region-specific strengths (India’s handloom cotton clusters)

• Pochampally Ikat (Telangana) — famed warp/weft resist-dyed cottons; GI-registered. Great for yarn-dyed fashion/furnishings.
  
• Kota Doria (Rajasthan) — ultra-light, airy “khats” (checkered) cotton (and cotton-silk) on pit looms; GI-registered. Ideal for tropical apparel.
  
• Chanderi (Madhya Pradesh) — fine transparent cotton (often cotton-silk) with very high yarn counts, GI-registered; good for high-end occasion wear.
  
• Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh) — staple cottons, solid bodies with zari borders; GI-registered. Reliable continuous yardage for apparel/export.
  
• Venkatagiri (Andhra Pradesh) — very fine, soft cottons with jamdani-like buttas; GI-registered.
  
• Jamdani (West Bengal) — extra-weft patterned muslins; GI application active (state). Boutique apparel/home.
  
• Kala Cotton (Kutch, Gujarat) — rain-fed, hardy cotton revival driving sustainable handloom lines; export traction rising.
  

How India competes 

• Depth of craft + GI protection across many cotton weave traditions → authentic stories + defensible positioning.
  
• Scale & export readiness via EPCs (HEPC/Texprocil) and weaver service centres → easier aggregation for volume programs.
  
• Traceability options (e.g., Kasturi Cotton India through Texprocil) to meet brand due-diligence goals.
  

Sourcing checklist 

1. Product: Handloom cotton fabric, Handloom Mark / IHB required.
   
2. Construction: Yarn counts, weave, EPI×PPI, GSM; width; finish; allowable slub/loom marks.
   
3. Color/chemistry: Dye class; AZO-free, REACH Annex XVII/Entry 72 conformant.
   
4. Tests & grades: ISO 105-C06 wash ≥4/5; ISO 105-X12 dry/wet ≥4/3–4; ISO 5077 shrinkage ≤X%; ISO 13934-1 tensile ≥Y N; ISO 12945-2 pilling ≥4.
   
5. Labelling: US orders—16 CFR 303 & 423; care per ISO 3758:2023 symbols.
   
6. Documentation: GI (where applicable), Handloom Mark/IHB license copies; TX/TRIMS compliance, test reports.

Quick HS mapping for handloom cotton fabrics

5208 (≥85% cotton, ≤200 g/m²), 5209 (≥85% cotton, >200 g/m²), 5210–5212 (other cotton woven fabrics with MMF blends, by weight). Some tariffs note “certified hand-loomed fabrics” within 5208/5209.