Sourcing garment shoulder pads from China

12% duty on garment shoulder pads

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, garment parts under 6217 90 00 00 carry 12% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. Heading 6217 also covers other made-up clothing accessories. This table contains the only supplied tariff line relevant to shoulder pads; see the wider garment-parts guide for accessories.

The parts line attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. Imports of products made from cat or dog fur are banned. For CITES-listed materials, establish the applicable permit requirements before shipping from China. The tariff also attaches seal-product controls; confirm the applicable documents and eligibility with your customs broker before ordering any seal-derived material.

Give your broker the cover material, filling, construction, photographs and intended garment use to confirm the commodity code. Do not assume a knitted or differently constructed product has the same classification. Use the import duty and VAT guide when reviewing landed costs.

Specify the shoulder profile and filling

Specify the garment style, shoulder slope, pad outline, thickness at the crown and tapered edges. State whether the pads are symmetrical or handed, how they attach, and whether they are sewn in or removable. Approve them inside the intended garment, with its lining, rather than judging loose pads alone.

Record the cover fibre composition, filling material, firmness, colour and stitching. Confirm with the relevant authority whether fibre composition information is required for your construction and consumer sales format, and whether any textile-stiffenings exemption applies. Where parts touch the skin, confirm which UK REACH restrictions on relevant azo dyes apply.

Agree washing or dry-cleaning trials that match the finished garment's intended care. Keep an approved sample showing the acceptable silhouette and recovery after compression. Require approval before the factory changes the filling, cover or bonding method.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,000 pairs of garment shoulder pads under 6217 90 00 00, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,800. Duty at 12% is £336. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,136, so it is £627.20. Import taxes total £963.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £336 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Profile: compare outline, crown thickness, edge taper and left-to-right matching against the approved sample.

Construction: check cover seams, loose threads, exposed filling and attachment points; flex the pad and inspect for separation.

Recovery and care: unpack compressed samples, check shape recovery, then trial the agreed care process inside the garment for flattening, movement and colour transfer.

Packing: check pairs, handed versions and size identification; inspect for dampness, odour and permanent creases. Agree these checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A pad can match the loose sample yet make the finished jacket shoulder too square or reveal a ridge through lightweight fabric. Filling that is too soft collapses, while a stiff edge shows through the shell. Test the approved construction in the actual garment before releasing production.

Care trials can reveal migrating wadding, puckered covers or detached layers. Compressed packing can also leave uneven shoulders after unpacking. Record the defect against the approved sample and agree a correction before accepting the batch.

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.