Sourcing men's knitted fleece jackets from China

UK duty on men's knitted fleece jackets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6101 covers men's or boys' knitted or crocheted outerwear, including anoraks, wind-jackets and similar articles. This guide concerns men's fleece jackets classified as outerwear within that heading. The supplied Chinese-origin lines all carry 12% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal product controls, plus CITES import and export controls on other textile material lines. Cat and dog fur products cannot be imported or exported. Commercial seal products must qualify under the Inuit and other indigenous communities exemption; confirm attesting documents with your broker. For CITES-listed animal materials in an order from China, confirm the species and applicable permit requirements before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code from the actual fibre composition, knitted construction and garment design; do not select it solely from the word fleece. The table shows material alternatives within the jacket lines. See men's knitted anoraks for the wider heading and import duty and VAT for the calculation method.

Specify the fleece fabric and jacket construction

State the fibre composition, fabric weight, knit structure and whether the fleece is brushed on the inside, outside or both faces. Specify pile appearance, handle, stretch and acceptable shedding against a sealed sample. Define the collar, hood if fitted, front zip, pocket construction, cuffs and hem. Attach a graded measurement chart with agreed tolerances.

For sale in Great Britain, the label must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Approve the fibre wording before production. Agree care instructions, pilling, colour transfer and dimensional change after washing as purchasing specifications. Products should only be sold once compliance with product safety regulations has been demonstrated; include zip pulls, fastenings and sharp components in the safety review.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 men's polyester knitted fleece jackets; FOB value and freight are illustrative, not a quotation. under 6101 30 90 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,700. Duty at 12% is £924. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,624, so it is £1,724.80. Import taxes total £2,648.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £924 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric and pile: compare fabric weight, composition evidence and brushed surface with the approved sample; check thin patches, pilling, shedding and shade differences across cartons.

Fit and washing: measure chest, body length, sleeves and collar against the size chart; repeat after the agreed wash and check twisting, shrinkage and cuff recovery.

Zips and seams: operate front and pocket zips on finished jackets; check trapped pile, zip waviness, seam opening and loose pocket attachments.

Labels and packing: compare fibre labels with approved wording and size labels with measurements; check garment counts, dampness and packing damage on arrival. Plan sampling with the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A soft sample can conceal a bulk change in fabric weight or brushing. Production jackets may shed more, pill after washing or show uneven pile. Zip tape and fleece can shrink differently, leaving a rippled front. Stretchy pocket openings, weak underarm seams and inconsistent sleeve lengths also cause returns.

Keep sealed fabric and finished jacket samples, approve each colour and record the wash method and acceptance criteria in the order. Inspect production garments before shipment and repeat agreed checks on arrival. Resolve fabric substitutions and label discrepancies before accepting the batch.

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.