Sourcing bulk bags and woven sacks from China
Woven polypropylene sacks, bulk bags and cotton sacks from China pay 6% UK duty, jute sacks 4% and knitted polypropylene bags 12%, with no anti-dumping duty. Bulk bags are rated by safe working load and safety factor under ISO 21898, bags for dangerous goods need UN certification, and plastic sacks can count for Plastic Packaging Tax. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
FIBC bulk bags and woven polypropylene sacks from China pay 6% UK duty, jute sacks 4%. Safe working load, UN bags, Plastic Packaging Tax and a worked example.
Rates by material and type
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, sacks and bags for packing goods carried 4% duty on goods from China when of jute, 6% when of cotton, and for man-made fibres 6% for flexible intermediate bulk containers and other bags of polyethylene or polypropylene strip, or 12% when knitted, with no anti-dumping measure. Bulk bags of polypropylene strip with a polyethylene liner under 6305 32 19 00 have an autonomous suspension to 0% until 31 December 2026.
Plastic film bags and sacks that are not woven textile are in heading 3923, and shopping bags of textile in 4202; confirm the commodity code by material and construction.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jute sacks, new | 6305 10 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Cotton sacks | 6305 20 00 90 | 6% | None |
| Bulk bags of polypropylene or polyethylene strip | 6305 32 19 00 | 6%; 0% for PP strip bags with PE liner until 31 Dec 2026 | None |
| Other woven polypropylene or polyethylene sacks | 6305 33 90 00 | 6% | None |
| Knitted polypropylene sacks | 6305 33 10 00 | 12% | None |
Safe working load, UN bags and tax
Bulk bags are specified to ISO 21898 by safe working load and safety factor, commonly 5:1 for single-trip bags and 6:1 for multi-trip bags, with the fabric weight, loops, filling and discharge spouts, liner and coating stated. Bags used for dangerous goods must be UN-certified FIBCs of the right type, and bags for flammable powders need the correct electrostatic type, such as type C or D.
Woven polypropylene sacks and bulk bags are plastic packaging, so once your plastic packaging reaches the thresholds they count towards Plastic Packaging Tax unless they contain at least 30% recycled plastic, and towards packaging EPR. Liners for food need food contact evidence.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 5,000 one-tonne bulk bags, entered under 6305 32 19 00: £25,000 free on board plus £3,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £28,000. The 6% duty on polypropylene bulk bags comes to £1,680, and import VAT is 20% of £29,680, which is £5,936. If you are VAT-registered you normally reclaim the £5,936, leaving £1,680 as the real cost at the border. Bags of polypropylene strip with a polyethylene liner on this line have a 0% suspension until 31 December 2026. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
What goes wrong
Bags fail on strength, dimensions and UV. Fabric weight and loop strength are cut so bags fail the top-lift test or burst when dropped, UV stabiliser is left out so bags stored outside weaken within months, and dimensions or spout sizes do not fit the filling line. Liners tear or are not food grade, labels lack the safe working load and safety factor, and dangerous goods bags arrive without valid UN test certificates.
Ask for the ISO 21898 cyclic top-lift test report for the design, weigh fabric per square metre and measure loops and dimensions on samples, check UV stabilisation claims, confirm UN certificates and electrostatic type where needed, check labels and liners, and keep recycled content evidence for Plastic Packaging Tax.
Cambridge China Bridge sources bulk bags, woven polypropylene sacks and jute and cotton bags, with load testing and certificates agreed before production. Read how we source industrial packaging.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on bulk bags from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, polypropylene bulk bags carried 6%, with a 0% suspension until 31 December 2026 for PP strip bags with a PE liner.
What safety factor should a bulk bag have?
ISO 21898 bags are commonly 5:1 for single trip and 6:1 for multi-trip use.
Do woven sacks count for Plastic Packaging Tax?
Yes. Woven polypropylene sacks are plastic packaging and count unless they contain at least 30% recycled plastic.
What duty do jute sacks pay?
New jute sacks pay 4%.