Table Linen Inspection in India

Table linen inspection in India: tablecloths, napkins, runners and placemats

A table linen inspection measures tablecloths for size and shape, including both diameters of round cloths, checks mitred corners and hem straightness, compares every napkin in a set for size and shade, checks runners and placemats for squareness and stiffness, and reviews coated or stain-repellent finishes, which face new EU limits on PFHxA from October 2027.

Last reviewed 14 Oct 2026

Typical materials

Cotton, linen, cotton-linen, polyester; jacquard and damask weaves; printed, embroidered and coated fabrics

Where it's made in India

Karur (Town of Export Excellence for handlooms; named by IBEF for table linen)

Key rules

FTC Textile Act (US); Reg. 1007/2011 and REACH entry 79 (PFHxA) for coated cloths (EU)

Typical AQL

General II; 0 critical, 2.5 major, 4.0 minor

How table linen is made

Table linen is simple to sew and hard to get exactly right, because it lies flat on a table where every crooked hem and uneven corner shows. Tablecloths are cut from wide fabric or, for large sizes, from two widths joined with a seam. Corners are folded and mitred, or turned in a plain double hem. Round and oval cloths are cut from a template and finished with a narrow hem or bias binding. Napkins are cut in bulk from the same roll, hemmed, and packed in sets of four, six or twelve.

Handloom table linen often has woven borders, stripes or checks, and these must sit square with the hems. Damask and jacquard cloths show the pattern in the weave, so placement on the table matters. Printed and block-printed cloths add colour fastness risk, and wipe-clean cloths are coated with acrylic, PVC or a stain-repellent finish.

Karur in Tamil Nadu is a Town of Export Excellence for handlooms, and IBEF lists table linen among the handloom made-ups produced there for export.

What we check on table linen

Check	How it is checked	What fails
Size and shape	Rectangles measured on all four sides and both diagonals; rounds on two diameters at right angles; ovals on length and width	Out of square, rounds that are oval, sizes outside tolerance
Mitred corners	Each corner checked for a closed, flat, 45-degree join	Open mitres, bulky or twisted corners
Hems	Hem width measured; hem laid along a straight edge	Wavy hems, hem width varying along a side
Joining seam on wide cloths	Seam position and pattern match across the join	Seam off-centre, pattern broken at the join
Border alignment	Woven or printed border measured from the hem at several points	Border drifting closer to the edge, crooked checks and stripes
Napkin sets	All napkins in a set measured and compared in a light box	One napkin a different size or shade, set count short
Placemats and runners	Laid flat; stiffness and edges; reversible mats checked both sides	Curling, wavy edges, fusing bubbles in stiffened mats
Colour	Wet rub with white cloth on dark-on-light patterns; quick wash where agreed	Red or indigo bleeding into white ground
Coated cloths	Coating checked for even cover, pinholes and cracking at folds; odour	Bare patches, coating peeling at the hem, strong solvent smell

Common table linen defects and how they are classed

Defect	Typical cause	Class
Needle or pin left in folded cloths	Pins used to hold folds for pressing	Critical
Colour bleeding on a wash	Dye not fixed or not washed off after printing	Major
Tablecloth out of square or undersize	Fabric cut off-grain, shrinkage in finishing	Major
Napkin set with mixed shades	Napkins from two rolls mixed	Major
Open or bulky mitres	Rushed corner folding	Major or minor by visibility
Small slub or float in a handloom weave	Hand weaving	Minor, within the approved sample

Market rules for table linen

PFHxA in the EU. Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/2462 added entry 79 to REACH Annex XVII. From 10 October 2027, textiles for the general public other than clothing, including table linen, may not be placed on the market with 25 ppb or more of PFHxA and its salts, or 1,000 ppb or more of PFHxA-related substances. Goods placed on the market before that date are exempt. Stain-repellent and water-repellent finishes are where these substances appear, so ask the finisher what chemistry was used and test before the deadline. See EU REACH.
PVC-coated cloths. Plasticised PVC must meet the REACH phthalate limits in the EU. A lab tests it.
Fibre labels. In the EU, Regulation 1007/2011 applies. Table mats made of several components with a surface of no more than 500 cm² do not need a label, and table mats may use an inclusive label for a set. See EU textile labelling. In the US, the Textile Act label covers fibre, origin and the dealer.
Linen claims. "Linen" is a fibre name and means flax. A cotton-linen blend must be labelled with both fibres and their percentages. A lab confirms fibre content.
Dyes. Azo dyes and other restricted substances: see azo dyes and restricted substances.

Packing, transit and your purchase order

Tablecloths are pressed, folded to a set size and banded or bagged. Sharp fold creases in linen are hard to remove, and a fold through a coated cloth can crack the coating, so coated cloths are often rolled. Napkin sets are tied or banded; the inspector checks the set count inside each band and that bands do not leave marks. Pins and clips used during pressing must be removed and counted.

Shape and finished sizes with tolerances; drop if you sell by table size.
Corner type (mitred or plain) and hem width.
Border and pattern placement rules, and seam position on joined cloths.
Napkin set size and the rule that one set comes from one roll.
Coating or finish, with the chemistry declared and test reports for each market.
Colour-fastness requirement, labels, fold size and pack type.

For tea towels and aprons, see kitchen linen. For lace and cutwork tablecloths, see crochet lace and embroidered textiles.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How do you measure a round tablecloth?

On two diameters at right angles. A round cloth cut from a poor template, or off the fabric grain, comes out oval, and that shows on a round table.

Does the EU PFHxA limit apply to tablecloths now?

For consumer textiles other than clothing, the limits apply from 10 October 2027. Clothing has been covered since 10 October 2026. Goods placed on the EU market before each date are exempt.

Do placemats need a fibre label in the EU?

Not if they are made of several components and have a surface of 500 cm² or less. Other placemats need a label, though a set of table mats may share one inclusive label.

Why do napkins in one set differ in shade?

Usually because napkins were cut from two rolls dyed in different lots and mixed in hemming. The inspector compares all napkins in a set together in a light box.

Can you test stain repellency on site?

The inspector can drop water and oil on a sample piece to see if it beads, which flags a missing finish. A formal repellency rating and PFAS content need a lab.