Sourcing knitted shooting sweaters from China

UK duty on knitted shooting sweaters

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6110 covers jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats and similar knitted or crocheted articles. The selected shooting-sweater lines carry 12% duty from China, except 6110 11 10 00 at 10% for jerseys and pullovers containing at least 50% wool by weight and weighing 600 g or more per article. The supplied records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product controls. Cat and dog fur products cannot be imported or exported. For seal products intended for sale in Great Britain, confirm with the relevant authority whether an exemption applies and what attestation is required. Some other animal-hair lines attach CITES controls; listed animal materials require applicable permits or certificates. For proposed animal trims or unusual fibres from China, ask your customs broker to confirm species, origin and documents before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition, garment construction, intended wearer and finished weight. Include shoulder and elbow patch materials in the description supplied to your broker. The table gives candidate lines rather than a classification for every blend. For the wider heading, see knitted golf sweaters.

Specify shoulder patches and shooting fit

Specify yarn composition, knit structure, garment weight, colours and graded measurements with agreed tolerances. Define shoulder-patch position for the intended shooting side, patch dimensions, elbow reinforcement, backing and stitching. State whether patches are woven fabric, synthetic material or leather, and approve their feel against the knit.

Try the sample over the intended shirt while raising and extending the arms. Check sleeve reach, underarm movement and whether the shoulder patch sits in the intended contact area. Agree cuff recovery, pilling, colour transfer and wash-shrinkage acceptance criteria, including how patches behave after washing.

For sale in Great Britain, the label must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Put approved label wording and agreed care instructions into the order. Retain an approved washed sample as well as the original sample.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 men's wool knitted shooting sweaters; FOB value and freight are illustrative. under 6110 11 30 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

Patches: check placement against the approved sample, stitching security, puckering and stiff edges; compare shoulder and elbow positions across sizes.

Fit and knit: measure chest, body and sleeves; check raised-arm movement, dropped stitches, underarm seams and cuff recovery.

Washing: compare dimensions before and after the agreed wash; check felting, twisting, colour transfer and different shrinkage between patches and knit.

Arrival and labels: inspect for dampness, mould, snagging and shade differences across cartons; compare fibre labels with approved wording. Use the inspection guide to record checks.

What goes wrong

A shoulder patch can look correctly positioned on a flat garment but miss the intended contact area when worn. Stiff reinforcement can restrict movement, while dense patch stitching can distort loose knit. Approve fit and patch placement on worn samples across the intended size range.

Patches and knitted panels can shrink differently, leaving puckering or curled edges. Bulk yarn substitutions can change pilling, warmth and fit even when the colour matches. Compare production garments with retained samples before shipment and repeat the agreed checks on arrival.

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.