Sourcing polythene oversleeves from China

UK duty on disposable polythene oversleeves

Heading 3926 covers other articles of plastics. Its apparel and clothing-accessories line, 3926 20 00 00, is the provisional classification for these disposable polythene oversleeves. The table shows buying variants sharing that code, rather than separate tariff lines. For the wider heading, see disposable polythene aprons.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 15 December 2026, this line carries 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. An autonomous tariff suspension at 0.00 % is attached for specified products. Do not assume oversleeves qualify: ask your broker to check the exact suspension wording against the product. No import controls are attached to this line in the supplied record.

Send material composition, construction details, photographs and intended use to your customs broker. Confirm the commodity code and suspension eligibility before declaring. Budget at 6% until eligibility is confirmed. The worked order and values are illustrative.

Specify film, elastic cuffs and intended use

Specify polyethylene grade, permitted recycled content, film thickness and tolerance, finished length, sleeve width and colour. Define relaxed and stretched cuff openings, elastic material and how the elastic is enclosed. Approve a sample worn over the intended work clothing, including the overlap with gloves and garments during reaching and bending.

State whether the oversleeve is intended for hygiene tasks or wearer protection, and describe any claimed protection precisely. For versions supplied as personal protective equipment in Great Britain, most new equipment must carry UKCA or CE marking and come with a declaration of conformity and English instructions. The importer must indicate its name, registered trade name or trademark and postal address on the equipment, with a packaging exception where this is not possible.

Ask for UK REACH substance information covering film, colourants and elastic. If sleeves will touch food, request food-contact compliance information for the finished product and intended conditions of use. Agree pack counts, whether sleeves are supplied singly or paired, carton identification and approval before material changes. Arrange document checks through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 50,000 disposable polythene oversleeves; budget at the ordinary duty rate pending suspension confirmation under 3926 20 00 00, invoiced at £600 free on board, with £400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,000. Duty at 6% is £60. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,060, so it is £212. Import taxes total £272; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £60 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Film: measure thickness across opened sleeves, compare dimensions and colour with the approved sample, and inspect for pinholes, hard inclusions, sticking and contamination.

Cuffs: stretch and release the elastic, check recovery and attachment, and look for exposed ends, loose elastic and tearing around the gathered film.

Construction: inspect welded seams and cuff enclosures. Repeat the agreed dressing and arm-movement checks over work clothing, watching for splits and sleeves slipping out of position.

Arrival: open packs from different cartons, count individual sleeves and check cleanliness, dry packaging and agreed identification. For protective versions, match the supplied documents to the product. Plan sampling through the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

Thin areas beside welds can split when a sleeve is pulled over clothing. Elastic can detach or feel tight even when the flat sleeve dimensions match the order. Assess film, seams and cuff fit together, and retain an approved finished sample for comparison with production.

Packed sleeves can stick together, hide pinholes or arrive with loose elastic inside the bag. A supplier's generic protective claim can also be mistaken for evidence covering the actual sleeve. Ask for documents identifying the supplied model and claimed use; keep protective claims separate from visual and fit checks.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.