Mulch Mats, conforming to IS 17355

Nonwoven mulch mats weighing more than 150 g/m2

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 17355

HSN 5603 94 20 (nonwoven mulch mats conforming to IS 17355) 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 separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

5603 94 20

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 consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The standard mark must appear on the product or its primary packaging.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023
3
Obtain 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, but all other origins require the PSIC.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry, supported by the PSIC and any certificate of origin. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention.
Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is importing nonwoven fabric of the same weight band under HSN 5603 94 20 without first confirming the goods actually meet the IS 17355:2020 specification for mulch mats — the QCO attaches to conforming mulch mats specifically, not to every nonwoven article weighing more than 150 g/m². An importer who clears generic heavy nonwovens under this CTI without BIS marking faces detention and potential confiscation under the BIS Act, 2016, while an importer who unnecessarily seeks IS 17355 certification for non-mulch-mat product wastes compliance spend on an inapplicable standard.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 5603 94 20 require BIS certification?

Yes, for goods that are mulch mats conforming to IS 17355:2020. The ISI Mark Scheme obligation under the Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 applies with effect from 01 July 2024; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 17355:2020.

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

Yes. The DGFT textile import policy requires a PSIC from an accredited laboratory certifying absence of prohibited hazardous dyes; imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Does the BIS QCO apply to all nonwovens weighing more than 150 g/m2 classified here, or only to mulch mats?

Only to mulch mats conforming to IS 17355:2020. The Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 is product-specific; nonwoven articles of the same weight band that are not mulch mats are not within the QCO scope of S.O. 4248(E).

Does a single CM/L licence cover all mulch mat variants and manufacturing facilities?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification and licensed manufacturing facility; mulch mats outside the licensed specification or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at customs.

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