Sourcing men's knitted chino trousers from China

Duty on knitted chino trousers

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the relevant trouser lines under heading 6103 carry 12% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The heading covers men's or boys' knitted or crocheted suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, trousers, overalls, breeches and shorts other than swimwear.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls, plus CITES import controls on the wool and other-textile-material trouser lines shown here. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import. Commercial seal imports require a qualifying traditional-hunt exemption and a seal catch attestation. For a China shipment containing animal materials, confirm species, CITES requirements and seal-product eligibility with your customs broker before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code from the fabric construction and fibre composition. Stretch alone does not establish that fabric is knitted; woven trousers fall under heading 6203. See the knitted cargo trousers guide for related sourcing within the wider heading, and the import duty and VAT guide for costing.

Specify chino details and recovery

Define the knitted structure, fibre blend, fabric weight, stretch recovery, pilling, shrinkage and colour fastness limits. Specify waist, rise, seat, thigh, inside leg and hem opening, with measurement methods and tolerances. Approve the size set after the proposed care process, including how the trousers sit when seated.

Set the waistband construction, belt loops, fly fastening, slanted front pockets and rear welt pockets. Agree pocket depth, pocket-bag material and reinforcement. Consumer products sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; include checks for sharp fastening edges and broken needles in the inspection brief.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 pairs of men's knitted cotton chino trousers under 6103 42 00 00, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,800. Duty at 12% is £2,736. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,536, so it is £5,107.20. Import taxes total £7,843.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,736 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure waist, rise, seat and inside leg across sizes before and after the agreed care process; check that pockets stay flat when worn.

Fabric: compare bulk fabric with the approved sample; check knee recovery, pilling, shrinkage, rubbing colour fastness and shading between panels.

Construction: check fly operation, waistband stability, belt-loop attachment, crotch seams and rear welt alignment; inspect for puckering and sharp fastening edges.

Labels and packing: compare fibre declarations with fabric results and approved artwork; reconcile size labels, colours and carton contents. Record arrival defects using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A clean pressed sample can hide weak recovery. During wear, knees bag, the seat stretches and pocket openings gape. Uneven shrinkage can twist the legs or shorten the inside leg, while a stiff waistband or pocket bag can restrict an otherwise stretchy garment.

Approve a washed production sample and test bulk fabric before cutting. Check dark colours for transfer onto light clothing, compare panel shades and retain a finished reference garment for arrival inspection. Agree acceptance limits before production.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.