Sourcing Diabetic Socks from China

Duty on diabetic socks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6115 covers knitted or crocheted socks and other hosiery. The ordinary sock lines shown here carry 12% duty from China. Synthetic graduated compression hosiery carries 8%, while other graduated compression hosiery carries 12%. Check construction before treating a diabetic sock as graduated compression hosiery.

The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspensions. It attaches CITES import and export controls to 6115 94 00 00 and 6115 99 00 00. Permits are required for species listed in the relevant CITES annexes. For a shipment from China under either line, identify the fibre species and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable permit requirements and restrictions before shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the complete yarn composition and construction specification. A diabetic-sock sales description alone is insufficient for choosing between ordinary socks and graduated compression hosiery. See the socks and hosiery guide for the wider heading.

Specify loose cuffs, toe seams and intended use

Specify fibre blend, sock length, foot and leg dimensions, cuff construction, stretch and recovery, toe-closing method and cushioning placement. Define acceptance tolerances and the washing procedure. Approve samples across the intended size range, checking the inside surface as well as the appearance. Translate descriptions such as loose top and smooth toe into checks the factory and inspector can repeat. For individual toe pockets, see our toe sock sourcing guide.

Check whether the product is a medical device before proceeding with compliance. Put the intended use and proposed packaging claims into the brief and obtain a product-specific review through testing and certification. If it is a medical device, registration with the medicines regulator is required before placement on the Great Britain market; confirm with MHRA whether the overseas manufacturer needs to appoint a UK responsible person.

Textile products must show their fibre composition. Confirm with Trading Standards the requirements for label or marking durability, legibility, visibility and accessibility. Match the packaging band to the actual yarn blend. Keep the approved sock, yarn specification, size chart and artwork together so substitutions can be identified.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-size stock order of cotton diabetic socks under 6115 95 00 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 12% is £1,104. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,304, so it is £2,060.80. Import taxes total £3,164.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,104 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Cuffs: compare relaxed and stretched openings with the approved specification. Check recovery and rolling after the agreed wash procedure, using the agreed leg forms.

Toes: turn production socks inside out and check seam bulk, knots, loose threads and rough joins. Compare the toe closure and cushioning with the approved sample.

Fit and washing: check foot length, heel position and leg width across the size range. Compare shrinkage, cushioning and elastic recovery before and after washing. For grip variants, see our guide to sourcing grip socks.

Arrival and labels: sample pairs from different cartons for holes, dampness, mismatched sizes and damaged packaging. Match fibre wording, size and product claims to the approved documents during inspection.

What goes wrong

A loose cuff on the approval sample can become tighter when knitting tension or elastic yarn changes. A smooth-looking toe can conceal a bulky internal join. Washing can expose shrinkage, cuff rolling or flattened cushioning. Compare production pairs with the retained sample and agreed measurements before shipment.

Packaging can retain the original fibre wording after a yarn substitution, or add medical claims absent from the approved brief. Resolve these differences before releasing stock for sale. Keep fit approval separate from the review of intended use and claims: trying on a sample does not settle medical-device status.

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. For running ranges, see our running sock sourcing guide.