Of cotton

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

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16874

HSN 6116 92 00 (cotton 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 textile imports apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

6116 92 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. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and 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 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 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
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry, supported by the PSIC and any required test reports. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence 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 import policy per DGFT Notification 7/25-26. 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 to the ITC (HS) Import Policy, 2022

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that any cotton knitted glove imported under HSN 6116 92 00 attracts the BIS QCO obligation. IS 16874:2018 is scoped exclusively to protective gloves for firefighters; general-purpose cotton work gloves or industrial cotton gloves that do not meet that protective specification fall outside the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022, and seeking CM/L certification for out-of-scope product wastes compliance spend. Equally, importers of genuine firefighter-grade cotton gloves who overlook the QCO face detention and re-export at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 6116 92 00 require BIS certification?

Yes, for protective gloves falling within IS 16874:2018. Conformity is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 13 October 2023 under the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022; import requires a manufacturer holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant product scope.

Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate required for cotton glove consignments?

Yes for textile imports under the general textile import policy. 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 requirement for hazardous dye absence applies to all other origins.

What if the cotton gloves are not protective firefighter gloves under IS 16874:2018?

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

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

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by product specification and manufacturing facility; gloves outside the licensed scope, or produced at an unlicensed plant, are not covered and customs will detain the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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