Sourcing meltblown nonwoven fabric from China

Ordinary meltblown rolls pay 4%

Heading 5603 covers nonwovens, whether or not impregnated, coated, covered or laminated. For meltblown fabric, establish fibre construction, mass per square metre and coating status before choosing a line. The table gives candidate man-made filament lines, rather than a classification based solely on the word meltblown. See the wider nonwoven fabrics guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the listed lines carried 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures recorded. Some carry 0% suspensions restricted to surgical or medical protective garments; the uncoated middle-weight line has a suspension for Nomex 410 insulating paper. These descriptions do not establish relief for ordinary polypropylene meltblown rolls. No import controls are recorded against the selected lines.

Finished masks and other made-up products have their own commodity codes. Confirm the commodity code using the actual material and supplied form, and ask your customs broker to check any claimed suspension against its full description.

Specify filtration and converting performance

Specify polymer, meltblown construction, mass per square metre and tolerance, thickness, width, roll length, core dimensions and permitted joins. State whether electrostatic charging or another treatment is required. For filtration grades, agree the test aerosol, flow conditions, filtration efficiency and pressure drop together, including how samples are conditioned and aged.

Meltblown used in medical or protective products needs evidence appropriate to the finished product. A fabric filtration report alone does not demonstrate the performance of an assembled mask. Ask for a UK REACH statement covering finishes and additives: chemical restrictions can address risks from substances in articles. Match the report and approved sample to the production batch.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 40 rolls of uncoated polypropylene meltblown fabric under 5603 12 90 90, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,200. Duty at 4% is £648. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,848, so it is £3,369.60. Import taxes total £4,017.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £648 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mass and uniformity: weigh test pieces across the full width and from different rolls; compare thickness, thin areas and edge variation with the agreed specification.

Filtration: test samples from the supplied batch for efficiency and pressure drop under the agreed conditions; compare results before and after the agreed conditioning or ageing.

Rolls and cleanliness: check holes, specks, loose fibres, joins, width, length and crushed cores; inspect wrapping for moisture and dirt.

Identity and records: match roll labels, polymer description, batch numbers and test reports. For textile products subject to fibre labelling requirements in Great Britain, labels must show fibre content. Use the inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A sample can filter well while production rolls vary across their width or between batches. A report may use different airflow or conditioning from your agreed test, making the result unsuitable for comparison. Check filtration and pressure drop together, and retain samples linked to the supplied batch.

Thin patches, holes and contamination compromise consistency; crushed cores and unsuitable winding interrupt converting. Agree acceptance criteria before ordering, then compare arrival checks with the approved sample and shipment report.

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.