Sourcing mannequins and dress forms from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, tailors' dummies and other lay figures, automata and other animated displays used for shop window dressing, heading 9618, carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Display stands, rails and shelving are classified by their material, and wigs for mannequins are covered in our wigs guide. For signs and point-of-sale displays, see our signage guide. For floor warning signs, see our guide to sourcing plastic wet floor signs.

Neighbouring codes to rule out

Heading 9618 covers tailors' dummies, lay figures and animated shop displays at 0%, but a figure bought as decoration rather than for displaying clothes can fall under another heading. Plastic statuettes and ornamental articles are 3926 40 00 00, which was 6% on goods from China, and plastic furniture such as display stands is heading 9403. Describe mannequins on the invoice as display figures for clothing, and keep the product specification that shows it.

Safety and materials

Mannequins sold to consumers, such as home dress forms, must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. For shop use, check stability of the base, sharp edges on metal fittings, and that PVC or painted parts come with a supplier statement on substances of very high concern under UK REACH.

Specifying mannequins

Specify material (fibreglass, polypropylene, polyethylene, foam-covered dress form), full body or torso, gender, size and measurements, pose, head style (realistic, abstract, headless), finish and colour code, detachable arms and hands, base type (glass, steel, calf or foot rod), and packing per piece.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 300 fibreglass display mannequins, entered under 9618 00 00 00: £36,000 free on board plus £4,200 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £40,200. Mannequins carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £40,200, £8,040, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

Inspection checklist

Finish: compare colour and gloss with the approved sample, and check for cracks, pinholes, chips and mould lines, especially at joints and fingers.

Fit and assembly: assemble a sample of each pose and check arms and hands lock firmly, the base is stable, and body measurements match the specification within tolerance.

Packing: check each figure is wrapped, with parts separately protected, in cartons strong enough for stacking, and that fragile hands are packed so they cannot move.

What goes wrong

Mannequin orders fail on finish, fit and transit. Colour differs from the approved sample, fibreglass cracks at the neck or wrist, arm joints are loose, measurements differ from the size chart, and poorly packed figures arrive with broken fingers.

Approve a finished sample, check assembly on inspection, and test the packing with a drop test. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources mannequins and dress forms for UK retailers and shopfitters, from a first trial order to scheduled full containers; the factory's minimum per pose is stated in the quote. See small orders.