Sourcing knitted lacrosse jerseys from China

Duty on knitted lacrosse jerseys

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 6109 covers knitted or crocheted T-shirts, singlets and other vests. This guide covers lacrosse jerseys matching those descriptions. The cotton T-shirt row applies only where the garment has that construction. For wider heading guidance, see knitted basketball jerseys.

All listed lines carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded. The non-cotton lines have CITES import and export controls attached. If a jersey contains CITES-listed material, confirm the species and documents with your customs broker before ordering. Moving a CITES specimen into Great Britain requires a permit application; contact the Chinese management authority for the corresponding export documentation.

Confirm the commodity code from the finished garment's construction and fibre composition. Do not select it solely from the supplier's description of a lacrosse jersey. The order values in the worked example are illustrative, not a quotation.

Specify mesh, pad clearance and team artwork

Specify fibre composition, knit structure, fabric weight, stretch, recovery and opacity. State whether the jersey will be worn over pads and approve a sample with the intended equipment during reaching, cradling and shooting. Define chest width, body length, sleeve opening or armhole depth, neckline and hem shape. For reversible jerseys, approve the fit and appearance of each face.

Approve team colours against retained fabric samples and sign off player names, numbers and logo positions for each size. Specify sublimation or applied printing and agree washing checks on the actual fabric. For sale in Great Britain, the label must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Importers placing products on the UK market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 knitted lacrosse jerseys under 6109 90 20 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.

Inspection checklist

Fabric: compare mesh openness, shade, opacity and recovery with the approved sample; inspect each face of reversible jerseys.

Fit and seams: measure the ordered sizes, try samples with the intended pads and check neckline clearance, sleeve openings, skipped stitches and seam strength under stretch.

Artwork: match names and numbers to the team roster; check alignment, readability, colour bleed and print lifting after the agreed wash trial.

Arrival: reconcile size assortments and carton contents; check fibre labels, dampness, staining and packing marks against the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A jersey approved without pads can pull across the shoulders or catch at the neckline during play. Tight sleeve openings can restrict movement, while loose mesh can snag. Approve the fit with the intended equipment and compare the washed sample with the agreed measurements.

Dark fabric can stain light applied numbers, and reversible panels can show through each other. A correct total quantity can still hide missing sizes or duplicated player names. Check the actual fabric and decoration together, then reconcile every personalised garment against the packing list.

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.