Sourcing aramid felt from China

A flat 6% duty on aramid felt

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 5602 covers felt whether or not impregnated, coated, covered or laminated. The selected aramid felt lines all carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.

The selected uncoated needleloom, other uncoated and other felt lines carry a cat and dog fur import control. Consult the wider felt guide and ask your customs broker whether a declaration that these fibres are absent is needed. Obtain a composition statement and confirm the applicable entry requirement with your customs broker. The impregnated, coated, covered or laminated needleloom line has no attached import control in the supplied tariff facts.

These are candidate codes, not an aramid-specific classification. Confirm the commodity code using the manufacturing process, fibre composition and coating or backing details. See the wider felt and felt sheets guide for other materials within this heading.

Specify aramid type and service conditions

State whether the felt uses meta-aramid, para-aramid or a blend, and identify every other fibre. Specify mass per unit area, thickness under an agreed measuring pressure, width, usable roll length and tolerances. Describe the needleloom construction, any reinforcing fabric, surface treatment, coating and backing.

For filtration, agree air permeability, strength and performance in the intended gas stream. For thermal applications, agree service temperature, exposure duration, compression and acceptable shrinkage. Request reports for the exact composition and finish rather than accepting a fibre supplier's general data sheet.

Textile labelling requires the fibre content to be shown. Check that the composition description matches the material supplied. Use testing and certification support to define the evidence needed for the intended application.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial batch of aramid needleloom felt in rolls; not a quotation under 5602 10 19 00, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £15,500. Duty at 6% is £930. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,430, so it is £3,286. Import taxes total £4,216; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £930 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fibre identity: compare batch records and composition test results with the ordered aramid type and blend; do not accept colour as proof of fibre identity.

Weight and dimensions: weigh cut samples across the width, measure thickness under the agreed pressure, and check usable width and roll length against the order.

Performance and finish: match reports to the batch and construction; check permeability where specified, surface uniformity, coating coverage and backing adhesion.

Roll condition: inspect for thin patches, contamination, loose fibres, creases, crushed cores and displaced roll layers; retain labelled samples for the quality inspection record.

What goes wrong

A substituted fibre blend or changed backing can leave felt looking similar while changing its strength, shrinkage or filtration behaviour. Uneven needling produces thin patches and inconsistent permeability. Excessive compression during packing can also make arrival thickness misleading.

A report for the raw fibre does not establish the finished felt's performance. Compare the delivered construction with the approved sample and test under the agreed service conditions before accepting the batch for production.

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.