Sourcing cotton waste from China
Cotton waste from China, including yarn and thread waste, garnetted stock and comber noils, used for recycled yarn, wadding, wipes and nonwovens, pays 0% UK duty on all three lines of heading 5202, with no anti-dumping duty. The tariff attaches the waste import control, so documents must be settled before shipping. Buyers check grade, colour sorting, contamination and bale weight.
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0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 28 September 2026, heading 5202 covers cotton waste, including yarn waste and garnetted stock, split into yarn waste (including thread waste), garnetted stock and other. All three lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
The lines carry the waste import control: material that is still waste needs the information document for green-list waste, or notification and consent for notifiable waste, before it leaves China; garnetted stock made as a product clears on a not-waste declaration. Textile rags are covered in our wiping rags and textile scrap guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton yarn waste (including thread waste) | 5202 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Garnetted stock | 5202 91 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cotton waste | 5202 99 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying cotton waste
Specify the type (yarn waste, thread waste, comber noil, garnetted stock), cotton content, colour sorting, fibre length, contamination limits (synthetic fibres, oil, dust, metal), moisture, and bale packing. Products made from it and sold to consumers need fibre composition labels.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 20 tonnes of garnetted cotton fibre under 5202 91 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,500, so it is £3,700. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Grade: open bales and check type and colour against the sample.
Contamination: check for synthetic fibres, oil and foreign matter.
Weight: check bale weight and moisture. See our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Cotton waste orders fail on grade, contamination and waste documents. Bales mix grades or colours, synthetic fibres make recycled yarn fail its composition claim, and waste shipment documents are not arranged before loading.
Cambridge China Bridge sources materials for UK manufacturers with documents agreed before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cotton waste from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 28 September 2026, all three lines of heading 5202 carried 0% from China.
Is cotton waste controlled as waste on import?
The tariff attaches the waste control. Material still waste needs the green-list information document or notification; a product clears on a not-waste declaration.
What is garnetted stock?
Cotton waste pulled back into fibre so it can be spun or used in nonwovens again.
Are cotton rags in heading 5202?
No. Used rags and textile scrap are heading 6310.