Sourcing knitted glove liners from China

UK duty on knitted glove liners

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6116 covers knitted or crocheted gloves, mittens and mitts. The uncoated liner lines selected here carry 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded. The wider heading has a 0% suspension for qualifying gloves impregnated or covered with plastics or rubber; see the work gloves and knitted gloves guide.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal product controls, plus CITES controls on the wool, fine animal hair and other textile material lines. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import. Seal products for sale in Great Britain need the indigenous communities exemption and a seal catch certificate. For CITES-listed materials from China, obtain the applicable British permit and corresponding Chinese export documentation; ask your broker to confirm the species and documents before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition and whether the liner has any rubber or plastic treatment. Do not claim the coated-glove suspension for an untreated liner merely because it will be worn inside a coated outer glove.

Specify yarn and fit beneath the outer glove

Specify fibre names and proportions, yarn count, knitting gauge, finished weight, surface finish and cuff construction. State whether the liner is seamless or sewn, and agree finger length, palm width, overall length and measurement tolerances. Approve samples while worn beneath the intended outer glove, checking finger movement, thumb position and bunching.

For sale in Great Britain, the label must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Agree care wording and a washing method, then approve washed samples for shrinkage, pilling and cuff recovery. Establish whether the intended use brings the liner within personal protective equipment rules; products within scope must undergo conformity assessment according to their risk category.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 pairs of cotton knitted glove liners; FOB value and freight are illustrative. under 6116 92 00 00, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,200. Duty at 8% is £176. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,376, so it is £475.20. Import taxes total £651.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £176 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Yarn and knitting: compare composition evidence, weight and handle with the approved sample; check dropped stitches, holes, loose yarn ends and uneven knitting.

Fit and seams: measure each size, inspect fingertip joins and thumb attachment, and try production liners beneath the intended outer glove for bulk and restricted movement.

Wash and recovery: use the agreed care method; compare dimensions before and after washing, then check cuff elasticity, felting, pilling and colour transfer.

Labels and packing: compare fibre wording and size labels with the approved artwork, match pairs and check carton contents against the packing list. Plan sampling with the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A liner that fits alone may bunch at the fingertips or tighten the outer glove. Bulky fingertip seams can rub, cuffs can lose recovery, and a changed yarn blend can alter thickness and wash shrinkage. Keep approved samples for each size and colour, including washed samples, and compare production goods before shipment and on arrival.

A supplier may provide a report for the outer glove or a different liner. For any protection claim, ask for evidence identifying the exact liner and intended combination. Agree permitted yarn substitutions, washing acceptance and label wording before production, then resolve differences 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.