Sourcing flax fibre and tow from China
Flax from China, raw or retted, broken or scutched, hackled or otherwise processed but not spun, and flax tow and waste, pays 0% UK duty on all four lines of heading 5301, with no anti-dumping duty. Spinners, composite makers and craft buyers check grade, fibre length and fineness, shive content and moisture.
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0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 5301 covers flax, raw or processed but not spun, and flax tow and waste, including yarn waste and garnetted stock. All four lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. The tariff attaches an organic control that matters only if you sell the fibre as organic, and the tow and waste line carries the waste import control; New material clears the tariff's waste import control on a declaration that it is not waste.
Linen yarn is covered in our linen and flax yarn guide, and jute fibre in our jute fibre guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flax, raw or retted | 5301 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Flax, broken or scutched | 5301 21 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Flax, otherwise processed but not spun | 5301 29 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Flax tow and waste | 5301 30 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying flax fibre
Specify the form (scutched long fibre, hackled line, tow or combed sliver), grade, fibre length and fineness, colour, shive and dust content, moisture, and bale or sliver packing. For composites, ask for tensile data and treatment details.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of hackled flax line fibre under 5301 29 00 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,500, so it is £3,300. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Grade: compare bale samples with the grade sample for length, colour and shive.
Moisture: measure moisture and check for mould.
Packing: check bale integrity and marks. See our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Flax fibre orders fail on grade, shive and moisture. Shorter or darker fibre is mixed in, shive content is high, and damp bales mildew.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these materials for UK makers from small lots; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on flax fibre from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, all four lines of heading 5301 carried 0% from China.
What is flax tow?
Short, tangled fibre separated during scutching and hackling, used for coarser yarns and nonwovens.
Why does the tariff mention organic control?
It applies only if the flax is sold as organic, which needs organic certification.
Is hemp fibre in heading 5301?
No. True hemp fibre is heading 5302.