Sourcing knotted nets and netting from China

A flat 8%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, knotted netting of twine, cordage or rope, made-up fishing nets and other made-up nets of textile materials, heading 5608, carried 8% on goods from China on every line, with no anti-dumping measure.

Nets for sports such as football goal and tennis nets are sports equipment of heading 9506, landing nets for anglers are tackle of 9507 (see our fishing tackle guide), and knitted netting fabric is a knitted fabric. Twine and rope themselves are in our ropes and cordage guide; confirm the commodity code.

Specifying nets

Nets are bought on material, twine construction, mesh size, knot type, overall size and border rope, and on the breaking force of the netting yarn and knot, which ISO 1805 describes how to measure for fishing netting. Put these and UV stabilisation for outdoor use in the product specification.

Safety nets used on construction sites to catch falling people are covered by BS EN 1263-1, which sets mesh, energy absorption and marking requirements, and the netting must carry the label and test evidence the standard requires. Cargo nets used for lifting and other lifting nets used at work come under lifting equipment rules, so ask for the rated load and proof test certificate; cargo nets used only to restrain loads must be suitable for that purpose.

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 2,000 made-up polyester cargo nets under 5608 19 30 00, add the £1,600 of freight and insurance to the £18,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £19,600. At 8%, duty on these made-up nets is £1,568; import VAT of £4,233.60 is 20% of the value with duty added. Together that is £5,801.60, but a VAT-registered importer usually gets the VAT back. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

What goes wrong

Nets fail on strength, mesh and ageing. Twine is thinner or weaker than ordered so knots slip or break under load; mesh size varies so nets fail a fisheries or site requirement; knots are loose and the net deforms; UV stabiliser is left out and outdoor nets go brittle within a season; and safety nets arrive without the label and test certificate of BS EN 1263-1.

Measure mesh size and overall dimensions on sampled nets, test twine and knot breaking force on each lot, check knot tightness and border rope attachment, ask for UV stabiliser content or weathering test results for outdoor nets, check labels, rated loads and test certificates, and inspect bales for damage before loading.

Cambridge China Bridge sources fishing, cargo, safety and debris nets for fishing, construction, transport and garden buyers, and checks factories where rated loads and certificates matter. See how we verify factories.