Mulch Mats, conforming to IS 17355

Nonwoven mulch mats weighing 70 to 150 grams per square metre

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 17355

HSN 5603 93 10 (nonwoven mulch mats) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 17355:2020 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 01 July 2024, by virtue of the Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023. Directorate General of Foreign Trade textile import policy controls, including Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements, apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

5603 93 10

Chapter

56 · Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 17355:2020 · effective 01-07-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 17355:2020 for nonwoven mulch mats. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility address on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 4248(E) dated 27-09-2023 · S.O. 1579(E) dated 28-03-2024
2
Ensure every mulch mat bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The standard mark must appear on the product or its primary packaging in a form traceable to the licensed batch.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023
3
Confirm the consignment weight falls within the 70 g/m² to 150 g/m² range covered by this tariff line. Mulch mats outside this weight band fall under different HSN subheadings and may attract distinct licensing obligations.
ITC (HS) 2022, Chapter 56, subheading 5603 93 · S.O. 4248(E) dated 27-09-2023
4
Accompany the consignment with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry, supported by the PSIC and certificate of origin. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention.
Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing nonwoven fabric that is physically similar to mulch mat but not specifically certified against IS 17355:2020 — suppliers sometimes present a generic nonwoven BIS CM/L licence that covers the fabric substrate but not the mulch-mat specification. Customs officers verify the IS number and product scope on the CM/L, not merely the physical description; a licence scoped to a generic nonwoven without explicit IS 17355:2020 coverage results in detention of the entire consignment regardless of the fabric's conforming weight band.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5603 93 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Nonwoven mulch mats under this tariff line must conform to IS 17355:2020 under the ISI Mark Scheme, mandatory with effect from 01 July 2024 by virtue of the Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the mulch-mat specification.

Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate required in addition to BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. A PSIC from an accredited laboratory certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes is required under the textile import policy framework. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from the azo dye testing requirement.

Does the Agro Textiles QCO apply to all nonwoven fabrics in the 70 to 150 g/m² weight band?

No. The QCO obligation under S.O. 4248(E) applies specifically to mulch mats conforming to IS 17355:2020. Other nonwoven fabrics in the same weight band but not meeting the mulch-mat specification are classified elsewhere and are not within the Agro Textiles QCO scope.

Does a single CM/L licence cover mulch mats of all specifications and from any manufacturing facility?

No. The CM/L is specific to the IS 17355:2020 product scope and the licensed manufacturing facility; mulch mats outside the licensed specification or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered, and customs detains consignments where the licence scope does not match the goods.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.