Sourcing fashion corsets from China

UK duty on fashion corsets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6212 covers brassières, girdles, corsets, corselettes and similar articles, whether knitted or otherwise. Every supplied line carries 6% duty for goods from China. The data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls.

The table shows fashion-corset variants against the heading's other-corsetry line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code against the actual garment's construction before declaring it. For the wider heading, see shapewear and girdles.

Specify the panels, boning and fit

State whether the corset covers the bust or finishes beneath it. Specify outer fabric, lining, panel construction, steel or plastic boning, bone placement, channel stitching, front fastening, eyelets and lacing. Agree garment measurements, measurement points, tolerances and the intended back-lacing gap for each size.

Textile labels must show fibre content. Confirm with the relevant authority whether composition should be stated for the whole product or for the front, rear and side panels. Agree the label format and component compositions before artwork approval. Consumer products sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; assess exposed bone ends, sharp hardware and fastening failure.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 fashion corsets; illustrative order and values under 6212 90 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 6% is £408. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,208, so it is £1,441.60. Import taxes total £1,849.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £408 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure waist, bust where covered, upper edge and garment length against the approved specification. Try production garments across the size range and check sitting comfort, panel alignment and the agreed lacing gap.

Boning and hardware: flex the garment, inspect capped bone ends and channel closures, and check for protrusion. Pull-test eyelets and fastening attachments; inspect hooks and metal edges for burrs.

Fabric and labels: compare panel compositions with the agreed fibre label. Check lining coverage, seam strength, colour transfer to light fabric and appearance after the agreed care procedure.

Arrival condition: check for dampness, mould, rust, crushed boning and mismatched size labels. Compare packed garments with the approved sample and record defects through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A corset can match the waist measurement yet gape at the upper edge or pinch when seated. Poor grading changes the panel balance between sizes. Weak eyelet reinforcement tears under lacing tension, while unfinished bone ends work through the channels.

A sample made with different boning or lining can conceal production problems. Keep an approved construction sample, identify the actual materials in the order and inspect production garments before dispatch. Quarantine damp or damaged arrivals while you establish the affected stock.

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.