Sourcing acrylic-wool knitting yarn from China

Duty on retail acrylic-wool blends

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 5511 covers yarn other than sewing thread made from man-made staple fibres and put up for retail sale. This guide covers acrylic-wool knitting blends in retail balls or hanks. A wool-predominant blend falls outside this heading.

The relevant Chinese-origin lines carry 0% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or import controls listed in the supplied tariff snapshot. Code 5511 10 00 00 covers synthetic staple fibre content of 85% or more by weight; 5511 20 00 00 covers less than 85%. The table repeats these codes for ball and hank examples, rather than presenting additional tariff subdivisions.

Confirm the commodity code using the tested fibre composition, ball or hank weight and packaging details. Retail-sale classification depends on the tariff's put-up rules, rather than simply having a printed band. See the wider acrylic hand-knitting yarn guide for the broader product family.

Specify the blend and knitted result

Write down the acrylic and wool proportions, yarn count, ply construction, twist, net ball weight, metres per ball, shade and dye-lot identification. Agree needle size, tension and an approved knitted swatch. Specify the wool's handle and any treatment claimed by the factory, then compare washed samples before approving the production yarn.

Consumer yarn needs a fibre-composition label. Confirm with Trading Standards which fibre names to use for the acrylic and wool content. Check composition before printing bands. Agree the care instructions from washed-swatch results, particularly where the wool component may shrink or felt. Consumer products sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4,000 retail balls of acrylic-predominant acrylic-wool knitting yarn, each 100 g, with acrylic below 85% by weight under 5511 20 00 00, invoiced at £2,200 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,400, so it is £680. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition and bands: compare laboratory fibre results with the order and printed composition; check dye-lot identification on bands and cartons.

Weight and length: condition and weigh sampled balls, verify metres against yarn count and net weight, and compare results across colours.

Shade and winding: compare each dye lot with the approved sample under consistent lighting; unwind sampled balls for knots, breaks and uneven twist.

Knitted performance: knit and wash swatches using the proposed care instructions; check shrinkage, felting, colour transfer, pilling and stitch definition.

What goes wrong

A blend can match the requested colour yet knit differently because its count, twist or wool content has changed. Wool shrinkage can distort a washed garment, while loose twist encourages splitting and pilling. Short metreage leaves customers unable to finish a project even when the ball appears the right size.

Keep a retained yarn sample and knitted swatch from each approved dye lot. Compare production samples before dispatch and repeat the checks on arrival, including damp cartons and musty yarn. Record defects by colour and lot so replacement stock can be matched. Use the quality inspection guide to plan the inspection.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.