Sourcing knitted chenille fabric from China

A flat duty for knitted chenille pile fabric

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6001 covers knitted or crocheted pile fabrics, including long pile and terry fabrics. The listed lines carry 8% duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. This guide concerns knitted chenille with a pile construction; the table shows the other-pile lines by fibre.

The selected table lines have no attached import controls in the supplied tariff record. Some long-pile and looped-pile lines elsewhere in the heading carry CITES import and export controls. Importing CITES specimens into Great Britain requires a permit. If animal-derived material raises a species question, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable control and documentation before ordering.

Ask the mill for the knitting construction, fibre composition and a physical sample, then confirm the commodity code. Do not choose a code from the word chenille alone. See the wider pile-knit fabric guide for other constructions.

Specify the chenille yarn and knitted ground

Specify the fibre composition of the chenille yarn and ground yarn separately, yarn count, knitted structure, pile coverage, mass per square metre and usable width after finishing. Agree stretch and recovery in each direction, the colour sample, pile direction and intended washing method. Keep an approved sample showing the face and reverse.

Fabric sold to consumers by the metre must carry its fibre composition. For upholstery, confirm applicable fire-safety requirements with the relevant authority. Tell the mill the intended use before finishing and arrange testing and certification against the supplied fabric and intended cover construction.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,200 metres of polyester knitted chenille pile fabric under 6001 92 00 00, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,200. Duty at 8% is £1,056. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £14,256, so it is £2,851.20. Import taxes total £3,907.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,056 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Construction: compare the face and reverse with the approved sample; check the knitted ground, chenille coverage, needle lines, holes and loose yarn.

Weight and width: measure mass per square metre and usable width on sampled rolls after relaxation; compare with the agreed specification.

Surface and colour: brush and tape-test for shedding, rub dark shades against light cloth and compare roll shades with the approved colour sample under consistent lighting.

Wash stability: wash a sample using the intended care method; check shrinkage, distortion, pilling, pile loss and recovery after stretching.

What goes wrong

Chenille can look full in a sample yet shed or develop bare tracks when loose pile fibres pull away from the yarn. Uneven yarn or knitting tension can produce bands. Rolls cut with opposite pile directions can appear to have different shades, while compressed packing can flatten the surface.

A narrow or unstable knitted ground disrupts cutting plans and can distort after washing. Agree acceptance criteria against the retained sample and inspect bulk rolls before loading. The quality inspection guide explains how to record findings for the supplier.

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.