Sourcing lightweight cotton crepe from China
Lightweight woven cotton crepe from China pays 8% UK duty across the relevant lines of heading 5208. This heading covers fabric containing at least 85% cotton and weighing no more than 200 g/m². Textile labels must show fibre content. Cambridge China Bridge sources lightweight woven cotton crepe fabric.
Cotton crepe duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 5208 covers woven fabrics containing at least 85% cotton by weight and weighing no more than 200 g/m². Lightweight cotton crepe falls within this scope when its composition and weight match. See the wider cotton woven fabrics guide.
All selected lines carry 8% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for these lines. The heading's 4.00% suspension concerns unbleached fabric for manufacturing bandages, dressings and medical gauzes, rather than ordinary apparel crepe.
Crepe is a fabric description, not a complete classification. The table gives candidate lines according to actual weave and finish. Confirm the commodity code using fibre content, weight, weave, colour treatment and width. A plain weave made with high-twist yarns should not be assigned an other-weaves line merely because it has a crepe surface.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unbleached cotton crepe, other weaves | 5208 19 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Bleached cotton crepe, other weaves | 5208 29 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Dyed cotton crepe, other weaves | 5208 39 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Cotton crepe of differently coloured yarns, other weaves | 5208 49 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Dyed plain-weave cotton crepe, up to 100 g/m² | 5208 31 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Dyed plain-weave cotton crepe, over 100 to 130 g/m², width up to 165 cm | 5208 32 16 00 | 8% | None |
| Printed plain-weave cotton crepe, up to 100 g/m², other | 5208 51 00 99 | 8% | None |
| Printed plain-weave cotton crepe, over 100 g/m², other | 5208 52 00 99 | 8% | None |
Specify the crepe texture and washed dimensions
Specify cotton content, yarn count and twist, weave, finished weight, usable width, colour and finish. Ask how the texture is produced: yarn twist, weave or finishing. Approve a sample after the intended wash and drying process, recording texture, drape, opacity and dimensions. Define the condition in which width and weight will be measured, rather than comparing a stretched sample with relaxed production fabric.
Textile labels must show fibre content. For dyed crepe intended for direct and prolonged skin contact, confirm any applicable azo dye restrictions under UK REACH with the relevant authority and agree suitable testing, using the published cotton-blend guide as a starting point. Ask for reports identifying the supplied fabric and colourway, and agree wash shrinkage and colour-fastness acceptance criteria before production.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10,000 metres of dyed cotton crepe with a non-plain weave; FOB and freight values are illustrative. under 5208 39 00 00, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,900. Duty at 8% is £1,032. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,932, so it is £2,786.40. Import taxes total £3,818.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,032 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Construction: check fibre content, weight, weave and usable width against the approved sample, with the fabric relaxed.
Texture: compare crepe depth and uniformity across the width and between rolls, both before and after the agreed wash.
Colour and performance: check shade between dye lots, colour transfer, shrinkage and distortion after washing.
Rolls: inspect for missing yarns, holes, oil marks and flattened patches; reconcile roll lengths, dye-lot labels and packing records.
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What goes wrong
A convincing crepe sample can become a flatter production fabric when yarn twist or finishing changes. Washing may alter the texture and reduce usable width, upsetting garment cutting plans. Other failures include shade bands, skewed fabric, weak areas and excessive colour transfer.
Keep approved washed and unwashed samples for comparison. Examine samples from production rolls before shipment and check arriving rolls before cutting. Record faults and separate affected dye lots. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cotton crepe from China?
The selected lightweight cotton crepe lines under heading 5208 carry 8% duty for goods from China in the supplied tariff record. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is listed for them.
Does cotton crepe always use an other-weaves code?
No. Check the actual construction. Crepe texture can accompany a plain weave made with high-twist yarns; classification also depends on finish, weight and sometimes width.
How do I check whether the crepe texture survives washing?
Wash and dry the approved sample and production samples using the intended care process. Compare texture, usable width, length, drape and distortion under the same conditions.
What labelling does cotton crepe need?
Textile labels must show fibre content. Check that the declared cotton content matches the supplied fabric, rather than treating the word crepe as a fibre description.