Labelling hair foil boxes
A hair foil box normally carries four things: the country of origin, a statement of what the box contains and how much, the name and address of the business responsible for the product in that market, and a batch or lot code. A retail pack needs more than a salon pack, and the rules differ by market.
Reviewed by Export compliance team
This page is general guidance, not customs advice. Confirm your classification and rates with your customs broker before import.
What a box should make room for
Use this as the base for a box design. The legal detail differs by market and by channel, retail or professional, so have your importer or customs broker confirm it for your market before the artwork is final.
| Item | What to print | Who confirms it for your market |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | “Made in China”, legibly, where the buyer will see it | Your customs broker |
| Contents and quantity | Number of sheets and their size, or the width and length of a roll, in the market’s units | Your importer |
| Responsible business | Name and address of the business responsible for the product in the market | Your importer |
| Language | The language of the market; English and French for consumer retail in Canada | Your importer |
| Lot code | A batch or lot code that leads back to production records | Agreed with us for the artwork |
Country of origin
Origin marking is the one item that is required at the border, not only at the point of sale. In the US, imported goods must be marked with the English name of the country of origin, legibly and where the ultimate buyer will see it; for retail packs that usually means the box.
Put “Made in China” in the box artwork from the first draft. It costs nothing to print, and a box without it can be held at the port and have to be relabelled.
Quantity statement
The box says what is inside and how much: the number of sheets and their size, or the width and length of a roll. Give the size in the unit the market uses, and the second unit beside it if the pack is sold in more than one market. Every size in both units is on the hair foil size chart.
State the thickness in microns as well. It is not usually mandatory, but it is the figure that distinguishes one foil from another, and a buyer who knows foil looks for it.
Importer or responsible person
A consumer who has a problem with a product has to be able to reach someone in their own market. That is why retail packs carry the name and address of a local business: the brand owner, the importer or a distributor. In the EU, a consumer product needs an economic operator established in the EU; EU GPSR for hair foil explains the rule.
We are the manufacturer. Our name does not have to appear on a private label box, but the business responsible in the market does.
Optional claims to avoid
A claim on the box is a statement you have to be able to prove.
- “FDA approved” or “FDA certified”. No such approval exists for hair foil.
- “Certified” without saying by whom and for what. A certificate has a scope; see certifications and test reports.
- “Eco-friendly” or “sustainable” without specifics. General environmental claims are the ones regulators challenge. Say what is true and can be checked: the board is certified, or the box contains no plastic.
- “Recyclable” without qualification. Clean aluminium is recyclable; foil used with lightener is another matter. See are hair foils recyclable?
The box templates, with the safe area for this text, are on dielines and artwork templates.
FAQ
Does hair foil need 'Made in China' on the box?
Hair foil imported into the US must be marked with its country of origin in English, where the ultimate buyer will see it, which for retail packs usually means the box. Other markets have their own rules on origin marking. Printing "Made in China" on every hair foil box avoids having separate artwork for each market.
Does the box need the importer's address?
A hair foil box sold to consumers generally needs the name and address of a business in the market that is responsible for the product: the brand owner, the importer, or in the EU a responsible person. A pack sold only to professionals may need less. Check the rule for your market and channel.
Can I print 'recyclable' on the box?
A "recyclable" claim on a hair foil box is an environmental claim, and regulators expect it to be true in practice for the buyer who reads it. State which part is meant, the box or the foil, and do not imply that used foil coated in chemicals goes into household recycling.
Does Canada require French on the box?
Consumer products sold at retail in Canada generally carry their mandatory label information in English and French. Hair foil sold only to professionals may be treated differently. Settle the question before the box artwork starts, because a second language changes the layout.