How to export suits and shirts from the UK to China
Classify each garment by construction, fibre and type, agree the import route, and price in Chinese duty and import VAT. Review GB 18401-2010 and prepare the UK export declaration before dispatch. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Suits, shirts and tailoring: UK exports under HS 6103-6205 (32 subheadings)
Agree the sales route before quoting: a distributor buying garments for resale needs a different arrangement from cross-border retail purchases for personal use. Prepare a garment schedule separating knitted or crocheted pieces from other construction, then identify the fibre and garment type. Give the Chinese importer that schedule so classification and the proposed route can be checked before you accept an order.
HMRC recorded £2.3m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 32 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £7.7m, -70.2%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £19.0m. January to July 2026: £2.4m against £1.3m in the same months of 2025 (+83.5%). These are UK exports under HS 6103-6205 (32 subheadings).
The largest UK export line listed was 62052000, men's or boys' cotton shirts excluding knitted or crocheted garments, at £358k (35.8万英镑). This is the HS-code total, rather than a measure of bespoke tailoring alone. Use it to focus buyer discussions on the actual garments you make.
Price against the Chinese garment tariff line
Chinese tariff lines distinguish garments within this range. Knitted suit lines 61031010 and 61031020 carry 10% MFN duty, while 61031090 carries 8%. Cotton shirt lines 61051000 and 62052000 both carry 6%. The selected lines below show why a single duty assumption for your collection can distort the price a Chinese importer can offer.
Import VAT has a standard rate of 13%, subject to the VAT Law's exceptions. Its base is the customs value plus customs duty plus any applicable consumption tax. These charges add to landed cost; the importer's customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to these garments. Obtain the calculation for each agreed tariff line before settling your export price.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 61031010 | 10% |
| 61031020 | 10% |
| 61031090 | 8% |
| 61033100 | 6% |
| 61051000 | 6% |
| 62031100 | 8% |
| 62033300 | 12% |
| 62034310 | 8% |
| 62034390 | 12% |
| 62052000 | 6% |
Review textile safety before committing stock
GB 18401-2010, China's National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products, is a current mandatory standard. Put it into the product review for your garments and have the importer and licensed partners confirm the applicable requirements and supporting evidence. Cambridge China Bridge prepares registration and label work with licensed partners in China; agree the work needed for the proposed garments before production or dispatch.
Prepare the UK declaration garment by garment
For exports from England, Wales or Scotland, obtain a GB EORI and find the correct UK commodity codes. The online export declaration needs the garment values, weights and packaging, destination and transport details, and invoice and packing list references. Give the carrier the invoice and any export licences or certificates required for the shipment. Keep the garment descriptions and fibre information consistent across the classification schedule and commercial paperwork.
Use cross-border retail only for eligible garments
The cross-border retail import list is a partial match: 61031020, 61031090, 61032200, 61032300, 61032990 and 61033100 are the matched Chinese lines. For listed goods through bonded 1210 or direct 9610, personal-use supervision removes first-import licence, registration and filing requirements, except for suspended epidemic-area goods or emergency risk handling. Check the exact garment line before choosing this route.
The overseas seller retains primary quality and safety responsibility and must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declarations and shared civil liability. Consumers must accept the risk notice, including possible differences from Chinese standards, possible absence of Chinese labels with a Chinese electronic label available online, and no resale. The limits are RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 annually per person.
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Find an importer who can handle your collection
Ask a prospective importer to explain which garment lines it will buy, how it will check classification and textile safety, and whether it intends distribution or personal-use cross-border retail. For tailoring, agree how measurements, samples, alterations and acceptance will be handled commercially. A buyer's interest in British tailoring is a starting point; the proposed import arrangement still needs checking.
Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed. The importer of record and any required cross-border e-commerce agent remain licensed partners in China, and your own filings remain yours. See our export support.
Frequently asked questions
What Chinese duty applies to British suits?
It depends on the tariff line. Knitted suit lines 61031010 and 61031020 carry 10% MFN duty; 61031090 carries 8%. Non-knitted wool or fine animal hair suits under 62031100 carry 8%.
What duty applies to cotton shirts?
Chinese tariff lines 61051000 for knitted or crocheted cotton shirts and 62052000 for other cotton shirts both carry 6% MFN duty. Confirm the exact garment classification before quoting.
Can I sell my whole tailoring range through cross-border e-commerce?
Check each garment separately. The matched list entries are 61031020, 61031090, 61032200, 61032300, 61032990 and 61033100. Purchases through this route are for personal use and may not be resold.
What should I check when a Chinese clothing importer approaches me?
Check the company and its proposed garment classification, import route and textile safety arrangements before sending stock or signing. Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China can check an importer that has approached your brand.