Sourcing hemp, ramie and paper yarn from China
Yarn of other vegetable textile fibres from China, including true hemp yarn, ramie yarn, coir yarn and paper yarn, pays 0% UK duty on all seven lines of heading 5308, with no anti-dumping duty. Weavers, knitters and craft brands check count, twist, softness, fibre content for the label and colour.
Buying from China for a business? How our UK China sourcing agent service works · China sourcing agent for small orders and first imports
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 5308 covers yarn of other vegetable textile fibres and paper yarn, with lines for coir yarn, true hemp yarn (retail and not), ramie yarn by decitex, paper yarn and other. All seven lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Linen yarn is covered in our linen and flax yarn guide, and jute yarn in our jute yarn guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coir yarn | 5308 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| True hemp yarn, not put up for retail sale | 5308 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| True hemp yarn, put up for retail sale | 5308 20 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Ramie yarn, 277.8 decitex or more | 5308 90 12 00 | 0% | None |
| Ramie yarn, under 277.8 decitex | 5308 90 19 00 | 0% | None |
| Paper yarn | 5308 90 50 00 | 0% | None |
| Other vegetable fibre yarn | 5308 90 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying the yarn
Specify fibre and blend, count, ply and twist, wet or dry spun, softening or enzyme treatment, colour and fastness, and put-up. Yarn and products sold to consumers need fibre composition labels under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012 that name the actual fibres, so hemp blends and ramie must be labelled as such.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 1 tonne of Nm 26 hemp yarn on cones under 5308 20 10 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,400, so it is £1,880. 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
Testing: check count, twist and strength on sample cones.
Fibre: test content for blends.
Colour and hand: compare with the approved sample. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Hemp and ramie yarn orders fail on content, count and hand. Blends are described as pure hemp, count varies, and yarn is harsh because it was not softened.
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 hemp yarn from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, true hemp yarn under 5308 20 carried 0% from China.
Is ramie yarn in heading 5308?
Yes. Ramie yarn has its own lines under 5308 90, split by decitex.
Does hemp yarn need a fibre label?
Yarn and products sold to consumers need a fibre composition label naming the actual fibres.
Is linen yarn in heading 5308?
No. Flax yarn is heading 5306.