Sourcing hair toppers from China

Hair topper duty and material controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6704 covers wigs and similar articles of human or animal hair or textile materials. Hair toppers cover part of the scalp. Human-hair toppers fall within the human-hair line; synthetic toppers belong within other synthetic articles rather than complete synthetic wigs. The table separates base constructions that share the same material code.

The supplied lines all carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. The other-material line attaches CITES and cat-and-dog-fur import and export controls. For animal-hair variants, have your customs broker confirm the species and whether CITES permits are required before shipment from China. Toppers containing cat or dog fur cannot be imported.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual hair material and finished construction, especially for blends. See the wigs, extensions and false lashes guide for the wider heading.

Specify the coverage, base and hair

Write down the area the topper must cover, base shape and dimensions, lace, silk or monofilament construction, parting position, edge finish and clip placement. Approve a sample fitted to the intended coverage area. Check whether the base lies flat and whether clips can be operated without pulling the surrounding hair.

Specify human or synthetic hair, any blend, length distribution, texture, colour reference, root shading and density across the base. Define supplier terms such as remy or virgin in the order. Agree washing and styling instructions, and test synthetic samples before accepting heat-friendly claims.

Products supplied in Great Britain must be safe. Keep records identifying your suppliers so the products can be traced. Retain the approved construction and sample-test findings, including checks for sharp clip edges and snagging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 human-hair toppers, illustrative order under 6704 20 00 00, invoiced at £60,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £61,200. Duty at 2% is £1,224. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £62,424, so it is £12,484.80. Import taxes total £13,708.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,224 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Coverage and base: measure the base against the approved drawing, check the parting and edge finish, and look for puckering, torn lace or visible knots.

Hair and colour: compare against the approved colour reference, measure length distribution and check density at the crown and edges. Comb and wash samples to assess shedding, tangling and colour change.

Clips and attachment: operate clips, check their stitching and inspect for burrs, exposed metal or teeth that snag. Check that the topper stays flat during handling.

Packing and identity: match each pack to its material, shade and base specification. Check that packing protects the clips and base, and that product references match your supplier records. Use the inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A topper can match the hair colour yet fail because the base is too small, the parting is misplaced or the clips sit over the wrong area. Dense edges can make the join visible. Compare production pieces with a fitted reference sample, rather than approving them from photographs alone.

Coatings can hide damaged hair until washing, while substituted fibres can change tangling or styling behaviour. Loose knots shed, lace tears around clip stitching and uneven root shading makes pieces difficult to match. Wash production samples and compare them with retained samples before accepting the shipment.

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.