Sourcing competitive swimming suits from China

Duty on knitted competitive swimming suits

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 19 October 2026, heading 6112 covers knitted or crocheted tracksuits, ski suits and swimwear. This guide covers its swimwear lines for competitive suits. Establish whether the fabric is knitted or woven before using these codes.

The swimwear lines carry 8% where rubber thread accounts for at least 5% by weight, and 12% on the other lines. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. Ask for material evidence rather than treating an elastane percentage as proof of rubber-thread content.

Confirm the commodity code using fabric construction, fibre material, men's or women's classification and rubber-thread content. For accompanying equipment, see the swimming goggles guide.

Specify the race fit and fabric

State whether the order is for racing jammers or body suits, with the intended wearer, panel layout, coverage, lining and strap arrangement. Agree a graded measurement chart, stretch direction and recovery, compression feel, seam construction and placement. Approve fit samples with the intended swimmers, including movement and putting the suit on.

Specify checks for chlorine exposure, colour transfer, wet opacity and recovery after stretching. Set acceptance criteria against the approved sample. In Great Britain, textile labels must show fibre content. Consumer products must be safe before they are placed on the market. Arrange testing and certification support around the exact fabric, lining and trims.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 competitive swimming suits, illustrative only under 6112 41 90 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,200. Duty at 12% is £2,304. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,504, so it is £4,300.80. Import taxes total £6,604.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,304 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure sampled suits from each size against the agreed chart and check strap tension, leg openings and movement against the approved sample.

Seams: stretch stitched and bonded joins, inspect crotch and panel junctions, and look for broken stitches, lifting tape or rough edges against the skin.

Fabric: compare colour and panel direction, check opacity when wet and stretched, and assess recovery and colour transfer using the agreed test method.

Labels and packing: match fibre wording, size labels and style references to the order, and reconcile the size assortment with the packing list. Include these checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A suit can match the flat measurements but fit poorly because its stretch direction or recovery differs from the sample. Bonded seams can lift during dressing, straps can dig in, and pale panels can become transparent when wet. Compare production fabric and finished suits with the approved samples before shipment.

Do not accept a generic fabric report as evidence for every colour, lining or bonded seam. Ask the supplier to identify the materials and finished styles covered. For race use, settle the intended event and any organiser acceptance checks before ordering; a supplier's description of a suit as competitive does not establish suitability.

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.