Sourcing cotton baby bibs from China
Cotton baby bibs within heading 6307 carry UK duty of 6% to 12% from China, depending on construction. General product safety rules require safe products for the Great Britain market, and textile labels must show fibre content. Check neck fit, fastening retention and washed samples before approving bulk. Cambridge China Bridge sources cotton baby bibs.
UK duty on cotton baby bibs
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 6307 covers other made-up articles. For cotton bibs within this heading, knitted or crocheted articles carry 12%; the other constructions listed below carry 6%. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty on these lines.
The suspension on the listed nonwoven, hand-made and other branches is restricted to specified textile face masks, so it does not reduce bib duty. The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to these bib candidate lines. It also attaches torture-and-repression import prohibitions and export restrictions to the nonwoven, hand-made and other branches; the nonwoven branch has a supplementary-unit import measure.
Confirm how those broad controls and any declaration requirements apply to your exact goods with your customs broker. Do not treat a measure attached to a code as proof that an ordinary cotton bib needs a permit. Supply fabric construction, backing and product photographs when confirming the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knitted or crocheted cotton baby bibs | 6307 90 10 00 | 12% | None |
| Hand-made woven cotton baby bibs | 6307 90 98 91 | 6% | None |
| Other woven cotton baby bibs | 6307 90 98 99 | 6% | None |
| Nonwoven cotton baby bibs, where that construction applies | 6307 90 98 20 | 6% | None |
Specify the fabric, neck opening and fastening
State whether the cotton is knitted jersey, woven muslin, terry or nonwoven. Specify the fibre composition of the face, absorbent layer and backing, finished dimensions, neck opening, fastening position, binding and intended washing process. A cotton face does not describe the whole bib if the backing uses another material.
General product safety rules require safe products for the Great Britain market. Textile labels must show fibre content. Ask for a safety assessment of the actual bib design, focusing on neck entanglement, detachable fasteners and decorations. Agree label artwork and approve a retained sample. See the wider baby and nursery products guide.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 6,000 woven cotton baby bibs under 6307 90 98 99, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,800. Duty at 6% is £588. Bibs for babies and young children count as clothing and are zero-rated for VAT under HMRC's VAT Notice 714, so no import VAT is due and the £588 of duty is the border cost. If they did not qualify, import VAT at 20% on the customs value plus duty, £10,388, would be £2,077.60, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fabric: compare composition evidence, texture, absorbency and backing against the approved sample; inspect for contamination and loose fibres.
Fit and fastenings: measure neck openings and fastening positions; check press-stud retention, hook-and-loop attachment and any detachable trim.
Washing: use the agreed care process; compare shrinkage, colour transfer, binding distortion, absorbency and backing separation after washing.
Labels and packing: check fibre labels against the approved composition, verify the agreed care instructions and product identification, and reconcile pack contents. Record findings through quality inspection.
What goes wrong
A sample can feel absorbent while bulk bibs use a thinner inner layer. Other failure points include loose press studs, scratchy fastening edges, distorted neck openings, dye transfer and backing that separates after washing. Compare bulk goods with the retained sample before accepting them.
A supplier may describe a bib as cotton while omitting its synthetic backing, or offer a mask suspension against a bib declaration. Settle the material description and tariff branch before shipment, and keep washing and fastening checks tied to the design actually ordered.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cotton baby bibs from China?
For the heading 6307 lines supplied, knitted or crocheted bibs carry 12%; the listed other constructions carry 6%. Confirm the exact code. The mask-only suspension does not apply to bibs.
What labels do cotton baby bibs need?
Textile labels must show fibre content. Check the actual materials rather than copying a cotton description from the supplier; agree care instructions that match your wash trials.
How should I check baby bib samples?
Check neck fit, fastening retention, absorbency and stitching. Wash samples using the intended care process and compare shrinkage, dye transfer, distortion and backing separation.
Does the CITES tariff control mean cotton bibs need a permit?
The tariff attaches CITES controls to the candidate codes. Confirm applicability with your customs broker using the full material and trim specification; do not assume the code alone determines the requirement.