Sourcing faux fur cushion covers from China

2% duty on artificial fur articles

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, heading 4304 covers artificial fur and articles thereof. Its sole commodity line, 4304 00 00 00, carries 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control.

This guide concerns finished cushion covers without inserts. The facts contain only a single commodity line, so the table has a single row. For the wider product family, see faux fur throws.

Do not select the code from the words 'faux fur' alone. Give your customs broker the pile and backing construction, fibre composition, photographs and intended use, then confirm the commodity code. The published background distinguishes pile fabric sold by the metre from artificial fur articles.

Specify the pile, backing and cushion fit

Specify pile fibre composition, height, density, direction and tipped colour, plus the backing and reverse fabric. Agree finished dimensions, the intended insert fit, zip opening, zip position, seam allowance and corner shape. State whether both faces use faux fur and confirm that inserts are excluded from the order.

Approve a finished sample rather than a fabric swatch alone. Agree shedding, colour transfer, seam strength and appearance after the proposed cleaning method. Include how the pile should recover after unpacking. Distinguish decorative scatter-cushion use from replacement sofa-seat upholstery when discussing fire safety with your testing adviser.

Textile products need fibre-content labelling, and consumer products must meet applicable safety requirements. Match the label to the actual materials and keep the approved sample with the product specification. Arrange testing and certification around the construction and intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 faux fur cushion covers, illustrative order under 4304 00 00 00, invoiced at £27,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £29,200. Duty at 2% is £584. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £29,784, so it is £5,956.80. Import taxes total £6,540.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £584 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Material and labels: examine the pile base for a textile backing rather than skin. Compare fibre labels with the agreed composition and test results; arrange fibre identification if authenticity is uncertain.

Fit and fastening: measure finished covers against the specification, fit the intended insert and operate the zip. Check caught pile, weak zip ends, skipped stitches, seam opening and misshapen corners.

Pile and colour: compare colour, tipping and pile direction with the approved sample. Brush samples to assess shedding and check colour transfer against the agreed acceptance criteria.

Arrival condition: unpack samples from different cartons and check dampness, odour, flattened pile and recovery. Repeat the agreed cleaning check for shrinkage and matting. Use the quality inspection guide to organise checks.

What goes wrong

A swatch can hide faults that appear on a finished cover: seams expose the backing, opposite pile directions change the apparent shade, and a short zip opening makes the intended insert difficult to fit. Heavy shedding, colour transfer and matting after cleaning can make an otherwise acceptable sample unsuitable for repeat orders.

Tie approval to the finished cover, label artwork and cleaning method. Investigate any material substitution before accepting the shipment, especially suspected real fur. Keep photographs and samples of disputed defects so the factory can compare them with the agreed specification.

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.