Sourcing camping hammocks from China

A flat duty across hammock materials

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 6306 covers camping goods alongside tarpaulins, awnings, tents, sails and pneumatic mattresses. This guide covers textile camping hammocks. The table distinguishes hand-made cotton hammocks, other cotton hammocks and hammocks of other textile materials.

The relevant hammock lines carry 12% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. Its suspension for field-hospital tents does not apply to these hammock lines.

Confirm the commodity code against the fabric composition and construction, and send your broker details of any bundled net, rain cover or separate stand. For the calculation method, see UK import duty and VAT. If sourcing a separate tarpaulin, see our PVC-coated textile tarpaulin guide.

Specify the hammock and suspension together

Specify fibre composition, fabric construction, finished bed dimensions, packed weight, end reinforcement, stitching and the complete suspension kit. List strap material, adjustment loops, connectors and storage bag separately. Agree whether a mosquito net is attached or removable, how its zip opens from inside and how the net stays clear of the occupant.

Agree a load-testing method with a competent laboratory for the finished hammock, straps and connectors together. Record the mounting arrangement and acceptance criteria, and require evidence supporting the advertised load. Test entry, exit, slipping and tipping as well as fabric and seam strength.

For consumer sales in Great Britain, the importer must ensure the product is safe in normal and reasonably foreseeable use and provide relevant risk information. Agree illustrated hanging instructions and precautions for falls and entanglement. Textile labels must show fibre content.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 800 nylon camping hammocks, illustrative order under 6306 90 00 90, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,800. Duty at 12% is £1,176. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,976, so it is £2,195.20. Import taxes total £3,371.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,176 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric and make-up: compare bulk fabric with the approved sample, measure the bed and check end channels, reinforcement, skipped stitches, seam opening and colour transfer.

Suspension: check strap stitching, adjustment loops, connector closure and sharp edges; test the complete assembly using the agreed mounting arrangement and load method.

Net and packing: operate the net zip from inside, check clearance and attachment points, and verify that the straps, connectors and storage bag match the packing list.

Labels and instructions: check fibre content and relevant risk information. Where reasonable, product or packaging must identify the producer's name and address and the product reference or batch. Use quality inspection to record findings against the approved specification.

What goes wrong

A fabric-only strength report leaves strap stitching and connectors untested. Thin end reinforcement can tear, adjustment loops can slip, and rough connector edges can cut webbing. A hammock can also tip during entry even when the fabric survives a static load test.

Check production assemblies against the tested design. Reject substitutions in straps, thread or connectors until their effect has been assessed. Test the net and zip with the hammock occupied, and inspect packed goods for dampness, staining and missing suspension parts before accepting delivery.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.