How to export yarns from the UK to China
Start with the yarn’s composition and construction, confirm its Chinese tariff line and agree the import route with your buyer. Duty and import VAT affect the buyer’s landed cost; cross-border retail covers only selected lines. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Match the yarn to the import route
For yarns, threads and fibres, give your buyer a precise product specification before agreeing the import route. UK export figures cover goods under HS 5401-5402 (18 subheadings)
and HS 5402-5607 (26 subheadings). The largest UK export line was 56013000, textile flock and dust and mill neps, at £12.3m. This broad coverage makes the individual specification more useful than the category total when choosing a buyer.
For UK exports under HS 5401-5607 (44 subheadings): HMRC recorded £21.9m of UK goods exports to mainland China under 44 HS6 subheadings in 2025 (2024: £15.7m, +39.5%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £213k. January to July 2026: £6.5m against £17.6m in the same months of 2025 (-62.9%).
Price against the Chinese tariff line
The following MFN rates apply to the selected Chinese tariff lines. Synthetic sewing thread under HS 540110 splits into 54011010 and 54011020; wadding and textile flock use different lines and rates. Have the importer’s customs broker confirm the exact classification before you use these figures in a landed-cost quotation.
The VAT Law sets a standard import VAT rate of 13%, subject to its reduced-rate and special provisions. Import VAT is calculated on customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax. The importer’s adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to your product. Border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price the buyer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 54011010 | 5% |
| 54011020 | 5% |
| 54012010 | 5% |
| 54012020 | 5% |
| 55032000 | 5% |
| 56012100 | 8% |
| 56012290 | 8% |
| 56013000 | 8% |
| 56074900 | 5% |
Check the standard against the intended use
GB 18401-2010, the National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products, is a current mandatory standard. Give your importer the yarn’s composition, construction and intended use so the relevant authority can confirm applicability and the requirements for that specific product. Agree what supporting evidence the buyer needs before preparing the shipment. For buyer discussions, see our guide to working with Chinese importers.
Prepare the UK export declaration
For exports from England, Scotland or Wales, you need a GB EORI and the correct UK commodity code. The online export declaration uses the goods’ value, weight, packaging, destination and transport details, plus invoice and packing-list references. Give the carrier the invoice and any applicable export licences or certificates. Keep the description consistent with the specification used for the Chinese classification.
Use cross-border retail only for eligible lines
The cross-border e-commerce retail import list covers only part of this range: 56012100, 56012290 and 56012900 for wadding; 56074900, 56075000 and 56079090 for specified twine, cordage, ropes and cables. Do not extend those entries to filament yarn or staple fibres. Eligible goods imported through bonded 1210 or direct 9610 channels receive personal-use supervision, with the stated first-import licence, registration and filing exemptions and risk exceptions.
The overseas business retains primary product-quality and safety responsibility and must appoint a mainland-registered company for customs registration, truthful declaration and shared civil liability. Consumers must accept the risk notice, including personal use without resale and possible differences from Chinese standards and labels. The limits are RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 annually per person, so this route cannot serve a distributor’s resale stock.
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Find a buyer and check the company
Choose potential importers by the material and application they buy, rather than by a general interest in British textiles. Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If an importer has already approached you, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.
We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. The importer of record and, where required, the cross-border e-commerce agent remain licensed partners in China; the brand’s own filings remain the brand’s.
Send the specification, proposed Chinese tariff line and intended sales route through our export-to-China service so the buyer checks and shipment preparation address the same yarn.
Frequently asked questions
What is China’s import duty on UK sewing thread?
The listed synthetic sewing-thread lines 54011010 and 54011020, and artificial-filament sewing-thread lines 54012010 and 54012020, each have a 5% MFN rate.
Can I sell UK yarn through cross-border e-commerce?
The matched entries cover selected wadding and cordage lines. They do not provide an entry for filament yarn or staple fibres. Match the actual product to the listed Chinese line before choosing this route.
Does a UK yarn maker need GACC food registration?
GACC Decree 280 covers overseas food producers, processors and storage enterprises. Its food-manufacturer registration does not apply to these yarns.
Which Chinese textile standard should I check?
GB 18401-2010 is a current mandatory textile safety standard. Supply the composition and intended use to the importer so applicability to your specific yarn can be confirmed.