Importing handmade rugs from India to Canada

General information, not legal or customs advice. This page summarises public official sources we opened on 31 October 2026. Tariffs, taxes and product rules change. Your customs broker or compliance adviser decides the classification, duty and labelling for your shipment.

Chapter 57 of the Harmonized System covers carpets and other textile floor coverings (WCO HS Nomenclature 2022, 31 October 2026):

A CBSA importer checklist says to determine the 10-digit tariff classification number and the applicable duty rate using the Canadian Customs Tariff, and to determine the value for duty. That page is archived (last modified 2014), so treat the steps as general (CBSA importer checklist, 31 October 2026). CBSA's current Guide to tariff classification is the place to start for your number. Your broker decides it.

Duty rates. We do not quote a rate. It depends on the 10-digit number and origin, and changes. Look it up in the Customs Tariff.

As standard we provide the commercial invoice, packing list, Certificate of Origin. We do not issue a phytosanitary certificate; a buyer who needs one for jute or seagrass should check the destination's rules with their broker. Additional compliance declarations and material-composition documents are prepared based on your market and requirements. We confirm the full document set for your order before production begins. See export and logistics and our standards.

We do not issue fire-test, flammability or other test certificates unless they are arranged for a specific order and confirmed on your quote.

Textile labelling. The Textile Labelling Act says a dealer may not sell, import or advertise a prescribed consumer textile article that lacks a label with a fibre-content representation (Textile Labelling Act, section 3, 31 October 2026). The prohibition covers only articles prescribed by regulation, so ask your adviser whether your rug is prescribed. The Competition Bureau says labels show the generic name and percentage of each fibre making up 5% or more of total mass, plus dealer identity, and that anyone importing or selling consumer textile products in Canada is a dealer. Its sample labels show English and French together, and it says carpets cut to a customer's specifications are a special case (Competition Bureau, textile labelling requirements, 31 October 2026). That page has no specific floor-covering rules, so confirm the details for rugs.

Country of origin marking. CBSA says certain imported goods must be marked to show where they were made, legibly and permanently, that the foreign producer usually applies the marking, and that Canadian importers are responsible for compliance. Exemptions exist (CBSA Memorandum D11-3-1, 31 October 2026). Whether and how a rug must be marked is for your adviser.

On request from us: your own woven or sewn-in label, a barcode or QR sticker (you supply the numbers), your own packaging or polybag, and country of origin and fibre content on the label. Tell us the English and French wording you need before sampling is approved. See OEM and private label.

The CBSA checklist says to check whether goods are subject to duties or taxes including GST, and that duties and taxes owing must be paid before goods are released (31 October 2026; archived page). We state no GST rate or exemption here; ask your broker and see the CBSA tax page for current treatment, which has included temporary relief measures.

For trade orders the buyer is the importer of record. For RS Living retail orders, duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer on delivery; see shipping to Canada.

The usual default for this route is FOB Nhava Sheva (JNPT, Mumbai). Under FOB we clear the goods for export and load them on board at the Indian port; from that point cost and risk pass to you, and you arrange the ocean freight, destination clearance and delivery. We work to all Incoterms 2020 terms, and the term, named place and cost breakdown are confirmed on your quote before production. See export and logistics for the full list.

Retail orders are different. For orders placed through RS Living shipping to Canada, import duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer to the carrier or customs on delivery, and RS Living does not collect or refund them.

1. NDA and brief. We sign an NDA as standard before designs are shared, then you send construction, material, size and quantity.
2. Sample. 5 to 20 days. The sampling cost is credited against your order. See the sampling process.
3. Approval and PO. The approved sample becomes the reference for bulk. Label, barcode or QR sticker and packaging choices are confirmed here (OEM and private label).
4. Bulk production. 8 to 16 weeks.
5. Export documents and loading. We prepare the document set and clear the goods for export at Nhava Sheva under FOB.
6. Ocean freight and import clearance. Arranged by you or your forwarder and broker. Transit time depends on the carrier and service you book.
7. Air freight. Air freight for samples and urgent small orders is typically around Rs 1,000 per kg door to door (indicative, owner estimate; varies by route, weight and season).

Constructions and materials are listed in rug specifications. For ordering see how to order and wholesale rugs. New to importing? Read how to start a rug brand.

Archived with a DOI: Importing handmade rugs from India: HS headings 5701, 5702, 5703 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0).

Core references: OEM and private label, rug specifications, how to order, wholesale rugs and the sample program.

See also: Export and logistics · OEM and private label · Rug specifications · Rug sampling process · Wholesale rugs · Importing to the USA · Importing to the UK · Importing to the EU · Importing to Germany · Importing to France · Importing to Australia · Importing to the UAE · Sea freight transit finder · Container loading calculator · Rug trade data · How to export rugs from India · Carpet exporters from India: buyer guide