Saudi Arabia SASO: new amendment to textile regulation

On March 2 2026, SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) published a proposed amendment to the Technical Regulation on Textile Products introduced in 2024, with the aim of aligning the framework with the new Saudi Product Safety Law, which entered into force in November 2024.

The Saudi market seeks to strengthen product control, traceability and the responsibility of economic operators, introducing more structured rules for companies exporting garments, home textiles and other textile products. For fashion companies, manufacturers, importers and retailers, this is a key topic to monitor closely: the focus is no longer only administrative, but increasingly technical.

What changes for the textile sector

The proposal shifts the system from an approach mainly based on formal requirements to a more advanced model, where textile products must be supported by consistent technical evidence and documentation.

For companies, this means that generic documents will no longer be sufficient. It will become increasingly important to demonstrate composition, safety and compliance of the materials used.

Where does it apply?

The draft applies to all textile products placed or made available on the Saudi market, regardless of whether they are locally manufactured or imported. The scope includes products composed of at least 80% by weight of textile fibres, such as garments and textile accessories, yarns and fabrics, carpets and rugs, upholstery and furnishing textiles, camping products and textile components integrated into other goods.

Medical-use textiles and footwear are excluded, as they are already covered by separate regulations.

Main updates

The key changes include:

• The shift from the generic concept of supplier to that of economic operator, with separate obligations for manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors.
• The introduction of a systematic risk assessment and the obligation to prepare a technical file to be retained for 10 years.
• A new approach to applicable standards, no longer based only on a fixed list, but on a more flexible system linked to essential safety requirements.
• More detailed labeling and traceability requirements, including product data, manufacturer and importer details, as well as possible hazard warnings.
• Confirmation of specific chemical and safety restrictions, including requirements relating to prohibited or restricted substances.

The proposal also confirms a conformity assessment system differentiated according to the product risk level: for general textile products, the Type 1a route applies, while higher-risk products, such as articles for children under 36 months and underwear, require the stricter Type 3 route with direct SASO certification.

Deadlines

The WTO comment period closes on May 1, 2026. For companies wishing to submit technical observations on the draft text, this is the only available opportunity to do so through their respective national authorities.

Once published in the Official Gazette, the regulation will enter into force after 180 days.