Sourcing knitted baby dresses from China

UK duty on knitted baby dresses

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6111 covers knitted or crocheted babies' garments and clothing accessories. The dress lines shown here all carry 12% duty for goods from China. The supplied records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. These are garment lines, rather than separate tariff codes exclusively for dresses.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal product import controls, plus CITES import controls on some animal-hair and other-material lines. Cat and dog fur products cannot be imported or exported. Seal products brought to Great Britain to trade must have a seal catch certificate; ask your customs broker to confirm eligibility under the indigenous communities exemption before ordering. For CITES-listed materials from China, confirm species and applicable documentation with your customs broker before ordering. Cat and dog fur export controls also appear, with CITES export controls on some lines.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition, knitted construction and intended wearer. A supplier's description of a garment as a baby dress does not settle classification. For the woven alternative, see woven baby dresses; for broader babywear, see baby clothing.

Specify the knit, dress fit and fastenings

State the fibre blend, knit structure, fabric weight, stretch and lining material. Approve chest width, shoulder width, dress length, sleeve length and neck opening against a graded size chart. Check that the opening allows dressing without excessive stretching. Specify waist gathers, skirt fullness, hem finish and seam placement so the factory can reproduce the approved shape.

Fibre composition must be labelled; confirm applicable durability and legibility requirements with the relevant authority. Agree the wording against the actual materials before production. Confirm applicable babywear safety requirements with the relevant authority: avoid neck cords and specify secure buttons, poppers, bows and appliqués. Agree attachment checks before and after washing, and chemical testing of fabrics, prints and trims. Keep a washed approval sample to compare fit, colour and handle with production garments.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 cotton knitted baby dresses; FOB value and freight are illustrative. under 6111 20 90 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,700. Duty at 12% is £924. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,624, so it is £1,724.80. Import taxes total £2,648.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £924 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Clothing designed for babies and young children is zero-rated under HMRC's VAT Notice 714, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product.

Inspection checklist

Fit and opening: measure production dresses against the approved size chart; check neck opening, armholes and waist seams for dressing ease and stretch recovery.

Trims and seams: pull-test buttons, poppers and decorations before and after washing; inspect loose threads, dropped stitches, rough seam edges and gathered waist stitching.

Wash and colour: wash samples by the agreed care method; compare shrinkage, twisting, skirt shape, colour transfer and shade variation across cartons.

Materials and labels: compare composition evidence, lining and trim materials with the approved specification; check fibre wording and size labels. Plan shipment and arrival checks with the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A dress can match the sample before washing but lose length, twist at the side seams or develop a tight neck opening afterwards. Heavy bows can distort lightweight jersey, while poppers can tear out where the fabric lacks reinforcement. Gathered waist seams may break when stretched, and bulk yarn substitutions can change both fit and handle.

Keep sealed garment and material samples, record the washing method and agree acceptance criteria before production. Check the finished dresses before shipment and repeat the checks on arrival. Keep affected stock aside while the supplier investigates loose trims, incorrect labels or material substitutions.

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.