Sourcing macramé plant hangers from China

Duty on finished cord plant hangers

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 5609 covers articles of yarn, twine, cordage, rope or cables, not elsewhere specified or included. The supplied tariff record contains only code 5609 00 00 00, at 4% for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The table shows product variants sharing this tariff line.

The tariff attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur. Such fur and products containing it cannot be imported, exported or placed on the UK market. Check the material specification, including decorative trims, and exclude these materials from the order.

Confirm the commodity code against the finished hanger’s construction and any accompanying pots or fittings. For other products within the wider heading, see rope doorstops.

Specify cord, pot fit and supported load

Specify fibre composition, cord construction and diameter, finished hanging length, knot pattern, pot diameter range and basket depth. Define the suspension ring material and finish, tassel length, colour and whether pots or mounting hardware are included. Approve a sample with the intended pot seated inside.

Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. For your buying specification, agree a complete-hanger load test covering the pot, plant, wet growing medium and retained water. Agree the test duration and acceptable knot movement, cord stretch and ring deformation before production. Treat outdoor durability as a separate sample check.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative retail batch of cotton macramé plant hangers, without pots under 5609 00 00 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £648 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,648. Duty at 4% is £145.92. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,793.92, so it is £758.78. Import taxes total £904.70; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £145.92 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Pot fit: seat the intended pot, check that the base is supported and that uneven cord lengths do not make it tilt or slip through the basket.

Knots and suspension: test the assembled hanger under the agreed load; check for slipping knots, frayed cord, opening rings and sharp fitting edges.

Colour and moisture: compare with the approved sample, check damp cord for colour transfer onto the pot, and inspect for mould, staining and trapped moisture.

Packing and instructions: check that hangers untangle without damage and that the agreed pot range, supported load and mounting guidance match the tested sample. Plan checks using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

An attractive knot pattern can conceal an unstable basket. Loose knots creep under a watered pot, uneven arms tilt it, and a shallow cradle lets a tapered pot escape. A strong cord does not prove that the assembled hanger or its suspension ring will hold the intended load.

Material substitutions change stretch, feel and moisture behaviour. Reject unapproved cord changes, compare production samples with the approved hanger and repeat the agreed assembly test after changes to knots, cord or fittings. Damp packing can leave cotton and jute stained or mouldy on arrival.

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.