Of wool or fine animal hair

Woollen knitted gloves, mittens and mitts (protective firefighter gloves)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME

HSN 6116 91 00 (woollen knitted gloves, mittens and mitts) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 16874:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 13 October 2023, by virtue of the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022. Directorate General of Foreign Trade policy controls on woollen textile imports apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

6116 91 00

Chapter

61 · Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16874:2018 · effective 13-10-2023

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 16874:2018 for protective gloves for firefighters. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · S.O. 1707(E) dated 10-04-2023
2
Ensure each glove 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. Marking must appear on the product itself, not on packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022
3
Accompany the consignment with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory certifying woollen composition and absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes, a certificate of origin, and a brand-owner certificate of genuineness. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.
General Notes 10 and 11 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, certificate of origin, and brand-owner certificate. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention.
Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify whether the goods fall within the port restrictions introduced under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 import policy. Goods outside the documented carve-outs in paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.
DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Notes of the ITC (HS) Import Policy 2022

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is conflating general woollen knitted gloves with the narrow QCO scope of protective gloves for firefighters under IS 16874:2018. The Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 attaches only to firefighter-protective specifications; general-purpose woollen gloves under the same HSN remain subject to textile-import policy controls — PSIC and brand-owner certification — but are not within the BIS QCO. Importers either over-comply by pursuing CM/L certification on out-of-scope product or, more dangerously, miss the QCO entirely on in-scope firefighter gloves and face detention at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 6116 91 00 require BIS certification?

Yes, for protective gloves for firefighters falling within IS 16874:2018. The ISI Mark Scheme CM/L licence is mandatory with effect from 13 October 2023 under the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022.

Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate required for every consignment under this HSN?

Yes, for woollen-textile imports under the textile import policy framework. Imports from the European Union, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing, but the PSIC for composition certification remains required.

What if the gloves imported are general woollen gloves and not firefighter-protective gloves?

The BIS QCO obligation under the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 applies only to protective gloves notified under IS 16874:2018. Non-protective woollen gloves remain subject to textile import controls and the PSIC requirement but are outside the QCO scope.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all glove specifications and manufacturing plants?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by product specification and manufacturing facility; gloves outside the licensed specification or produced at an unlicensed plant are not covered and are liable to detention at port.

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