Sourcing knotted crop support nets from China

A flat 8% duty on relevant netting lines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 5608 covers knotted netting of twine, cordage or rope and made-up textile nets. This guide concerns knotted nets for supporting climbing crops or holding stems upright. Material and whether the net is made up affect the commodity line.

All relevant lines carry 8% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. This tariff snapshot does not establish compliance with product safety rules. For the wider netting heading, see our bird netting guide.

Give your customs broker the fibre composition, photographs of the knots and edges, and details of whether the goods are netting lengths or finished nets. Confirm the commodity code before shipment. Use our import duty and VAT guide when estimating landed cost.

Specify the mesh for the crop and support frame

State the crop, whether the net will stand vertically or lie horizontally, the frame spacing and the intended growing conditions. Specify fibre composition, twine construction, knot type, mesh opening and finished dimensions. Agree whether mesh is measured relaxed or under tension, and how the net attaches to posts, wires or frames.

Agree twine and knot breaking strength, edge reinforcement, resistance to stretching and evidence for any claimed UV stabilisation. Approve a sample installed on your intended frame. Check that stems can pass through the openings and that the net can be removed without excessive snagging.

Nets supplied as consumer products to home gardeners in Great Britain must be safe. As practical purchasing checks, review loose loops, cut ends and attachment instructions, and make the intended crop-support use clear on the packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 made-up polyester knotted crop support nets under 5608 19 30 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,600. Duty at 8% is £1,568. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,168, so it is £4,233.60. Import taxes total £5,801.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,568 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mesh and dimensions: unfold sampled nets and measure openings, width and length using the agreed tension and measurement method.

Knots and edges: check for missing or loose knots, pull sampled junctions, and inspect edge reinforcement and attachment points for fraying.

Material and durability: compare the twine with the approved sample, match strength and weathering reports to the supplied material, and check for brittle strands.

Packing and installation: check net counts, tangling, moisture and damaged packaging; fit a sample to the intended frame. Record findings using our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

Loose knots slide when the net is tensioned, changing the openings and allowing stems to lean. Thin twine or weak edges fail at attachment points. Dimensions measured under heavy tension can leave buyers with nets that do not fit their frames when installed normally.

Outdoor durability claims may lack evidence for the supplied material. Tangled bundles slow installation, and rough knots snag stems during removal. Agree the measurement method and acceptance checks before production, then inspect against the installed sample rather than relying on catalogue photographs.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.