Sourcing bird netting from China

A flat 8% duty within this heading

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 5608 covers knotted netting of twine, cordage or rope and made-up textile nets. Every supplied line carries 8% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls.

For bird netting, distinguish made-up nylon nets, other made-up man-made textile nets and netting supplied without making up. Knitted netting fabric is classified as knitted fabric rather than automatically falling within this heading. See the wider nets and netting guide.

Send your customs broker the material composition, construction, photographs and finished dimensions to confirm the commodity code. The table describes possible lines, rather than assigning every bird net to the same code.

Specify the birds, mesh and installation

State which birds the net should exclude and whether it will cover crops, a pond or a building opening. Agree mesh aperture and its measurement method, yarn material and thickness, knotted or knotless construction, finished dimensions, colour, border reinforcement and fixing points. Approve a sample fitted to the intended support system.

Specify UV stabilisation and request weathering evidence for the actual yarn and colour. Agree how dimensions are measured under tension. Ask for installation, tensioning, inspection and removal instructions that address loose pockets and entanglement.

Bird netting intended for, or foreseeably used by, consumers in Great Britain falls within the scope of general product safety rules and must be safe. Wild birds in England are protected by law. Plan exclusion rather than capture, and check the proposed installation with a wildlife adviser where nesting or entanglement is a concern.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 made-up polyester bird nets under 5608 19 30 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,600. Duty at 8% is £1,568. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,168, so it is £4,233.60. Import taxes total £5,801.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,568 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mesh and dimensions: measure apertures across sampled panels and compare overall dimensions under the agreed tension with the approved sample.

Yarn and joints: check yarn thickness, knot tightness or joint integrity, border attachment and resistance to tearing at fixing points.

Outdoor performance: match weathering reports to the supplied material and colour; examine samples for brittleness, uneven colour and damaged strands.

Packing and instructions: unfold sampled nets to check tangles, holes and missing fixings; confirm product identification and the agreed installation instructions. Use the inspection guide to organise the checks.

What goes wrong

A net can match the ordered panel size but have inconsistent apertures or distort when tensioned. Thin yarn, loose knots and weak borders leave openings after installation. Unsupported weathering claims make outdoor durability difficult to assess. Compare production samples with the approved net rather than relying on a photograph.

Loose pockets, gaps around edges and tangled panels undermine exclusion and can create entanglement risks. Check the complete fitted sample, including corners, overlaps and access points. Keep bird exclusion as the specified purpose; assess any proposed use as a personnel safety net separately.

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.