Sourcing cotton terry bath mats from China

Duty on cotton terry bath mats

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6302 covers bed linen, table linen, toilet linen and kitchen linen. This guide concerns cotton terry towel-style bath mats offered as toilet linen. The table includes the cotton terry lines and non-terry cotton comparison lines; the comparison lines do not describe cotton terry bath mats.

The listed cotton terry lines carry 12% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. The wider heading includes other textiles with different rates.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition, construction and intended use. Ask your broker to review backed or carpet-style products separately rather than assuming the supplier's towel code applies. See the cotton terry bath towels guide for the wider toilet-linen family. For face flannels, see our cotton terry face flannel sourcing guide.

Specify absorbency and washing performance

Describe the mat as towel-style cotton terry and agree its finished dimensions, fabric weight, loop construction, border design, colour and hem stitching. Record whether it has any backing. Keep an approved sample that the factory and inspector can compare with production.

Agree checks for water uptake, drying, lint shedding, colour transfer and dimensional change after washing and drying using the proposed care instructions. Check whether the mat lies flat after laundering. Assess movement on the intended bathroom floor before accepting any non-slip claim.

The fibre content must appear on the label. Businesses importing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety. Review slipping and snagging risks alongside wash performance, and use testing and certification support to agree suitable checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 900 woven cotton terry bath mats, illustrative order under 6302 60 00 90, invoiced at £7,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,400. Duty at 12% is £1,008. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,408, so it is £1,881.60. Import taxes total £2,889.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,008 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric: compare dimensions, weight, colour and loop density with the approved sample; check bare patches, pulled loops and loose yarn.

Washing: compare absorbency, lint shedding, colour transfer, shrinkage and flatness before and after the agreed laundering check.

Edges and floor contact: inspect hem security, distorted borders and curled corners; assess movement on the intended floor and inspect any backing after washing.

Labels and packing: check fibre information against the agreed composition, confirm care wording matches sample trials, and open cartons for dampness, musty odour and staining.

What goes wrong

A soft showroom sample can absorb poorly because of its finish, while bulk mats may have thinner loops or weaker hems. Washing can reveal lint shedding, colour bleeding and borders that shrink unevenly, leaving the mat curled or distorted.

Treat sample approval as a reference for inspection, with written acceptance criteria for washing and absorbency. If a backing is added or changed, repeat the relevant wash and floor checks. Hold damp or musty stock apart from accepted goods while investigating the packing and storage history.

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.