Sourcing embroidered patches from China
Embroidered patches, badges and motifs from China pay 4%, 6% or 8% UK duty under heading 5810, with no anti-dumping duty. The rate depends on value per kilogram: embroidery on a visible ground above £14/kg net is 4%, and cheaper cotton, man-made or other embroidery is 6%. Most custom patches are light enough to exceed £14/kg.
Custom embroidered patches, badges and motifs from China pay 4%, 6% or 8% UK duty, set by value per kg. Colour fastness, backing and logo rights explained.
4%, 6% or 8% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 5810 covers embroidery in the piece, in strips or in motifs. The 16 lines for goods from China split by ground and value per kilogram of net weight, and hand-made and other lines carry the same rate. There is no anti-dumping measure and no tariff suspension.
Embroidery without visible ground, where the ground fabric has been dissolved or cut away, is 4% above £29/kg and 8% at or below it. Other embroidery of cotton, man-made fibres or other textiles is 4% above £14/kg and 6% at or below it. Because a patch weighs only a few grams, dividing the value of the order by its net weight usually puts custom patches above the threshold, but calculate it for each order.
Woven badges and labels are heading 5807 (see our labels guide), and moulded PVC patches are classified as plastics, so confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity codes | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embroidery without visible ground, above £29/kg net | 5810 10 10 10, 5810 10 10 90 | 4% | None |
| Embroidery without visible ground, other | 5810 10 90 10, 5810 10 90 90 | 8% | None |
| Other embroidery of cotton, above £14/kg net | 5810 91 10 10, 5810 91 10 90 | 4% | None |
| Other embroidery of cotton, other | 5810 91 90 10, 5810 91 90 90 | 6% | None |
| Other embroidery of man-made fibres, above £14/kg net | 5810 92 10 10, 5810 92 10 90 | 4% | None |
| Other embroidery of man-made fibres, other | 5810 92 90 10, 5810 92 90 90 | 6% | None |
| Other embroidery of other textiles, above £14/kg net | 5810 99 10 10, 5810 99 10 90 | 4% | None |
| Other embroidery of other textiles, other | 5810 99 90 10, 5810 99 90 90 | 6% | None |
Safety, chemicals and logo rights
Patches sold to consumers must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, and dyes and adhesives are subject to the UK REACH restrictions, including the azo dye restriction for textiles in prolonged skin contact. Garments carrying the patches follow the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012.
Patches carrying club crests, brand logos or characters need the rights holder's permission. Customs can detain suspected counterfeits under retained Regulation (EU) No 608/2013, so keep the licence or artwork approval with the order.
Specifying patches
Specify size, shape and border (merrowed or cut edge), stitch coverage percentage, thread type (polyester or rayon) and colour references, twill ground colour, backing (iron-on, sew-on, hook-and-loop or adhesive), quantity per design, and packing. Approve a physical sample of each design before bulk.
Worked duty example
For a made-up shipment of 20,000 polyester embroidered patches weighing 100 kg net under 5810 92 10 90, add the £400 of freight and insurance to the £6,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £6,400. At 4%, duty on these embroidered patches is £256; import VAT of £1,331.20 is 20% of the value with duty added. Together that is £1,587.20, but a VAT-registered importer usually gets the VAT back. At around £60 a kilogram of net weight, the patches are well above the £14/kg threshold, so they take the 4% line rather than 6%. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.
Inspection checklist
Colour: compare thread colours with the approved sample under daylight, and test colour fastness to washing (ISO 105-C06) and rubbing (ISO 105-X12) where the patch goes on garments.
Construction: measure size against the drawing, check stitch density and gaps, loose threads, border finish and puckering, and count designs against the packing list.
Backing: press iron-on patches to a test fabric at the stated temperature and time, wash the sample, and check the patch stays bonded at the edges.
What goes wrong
Patch orders fail on colour, detail and backing. Thread colours drift from the brand colours, small lettering fills in, merrowed borders fray, and iron-on backing lifts after the first wash.
Approve a sample of every design, test washing and bonding, and check logo rights before production. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources embroidered patches for UK clubs, schools, workwear suppliers and brands, from first small runs of a few designs. See small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on embroidered patches from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, patches on a polyester ground carried 4% from China above £14/kg net weight and 6% at or below it.
How do I work out the value per kilogram?
Divide the value of the patches by their net weight. Light patches usually come out well above £14/kg, which gives the lower 4% rate.
Are woven badges the same code as embroidered patches?
No. Woven badges and labels are heading 5807, not 5810.
Can I order patches with a football club crest?
Only with the rights holder's permission. Suspected counterfeits can be detained by customs.