Sourcing men's knitted joggers from China

Duty on knitted joggers

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

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls, with CITES attached to some fibre lines. Imports containing cat or dog fur are banned. Seal products can be imported and sold only in limited cases under strict conditions. If animal-derived trims are proposed, confirm their species and the applicable documentation with your customs broker before ordering; do not treat a textile code as clearance for those materials.

Confirm the commodity code using fabric construction, fibre composition and whether the goods are separate trousers or a tracksuit. The tracksuits and swimwear guide covers that wider sportswear family. Use the import duty and VAT guide when costing the shipment.

Specify the fabric, waistband and washed fit

Define loopback or brushed-back knit, fibre blend, fabric weight, stretch recovery and pilling limits. Specify the rise, inside leg, thigh, cuff opening and relaxed and stretched waistband measurements. Approve the full size set and agree acceptable changes after the intended washing process. For men's base layers, see our guide to sourcing thermal underpants.

Set the elastic width, drawcord construction, pocket depth and reinforcement at pocket openings and the crotch. Agree colour matching between the body, rib cuffs and waistband. Fibre composition must be labelled using permitted fibre names; check the bulk fabric against the approved label artwork.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 pairs of men's knitted cotton joggers 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, inside leg and cuffs against the approved size chart, before and after the agreed wash process.

Fabric: check pilling, shrinkage, knee recovery and colour transfer against agreed limits, including shading between panels and rib trims.

Construction: stretch seams, check crotch and pocket reinforcement, and confirm that elastic recovers without twisting or rolling inside the waistband.

Labels and packing: compare fibre declarations, size labels, care instructions and carton contents with the order. Use a quality inspection to record defects by size and colour.

What goes wrong

A brushed sample can conceal a lighter bulk fabric or a different blend. Poor recovery leaves baggy knees and loose cuffs; uneven shrinkage shortens the legs or twists side seams. Waistband elastic can roll, drawcord ends can fray, and shallow pockets can pull open during wear.

Approve a washed production sample and retain it for comparison. Test bulk fabric rather than relying on the original sample, check rib trims separately, and record measurements and defects before accepting the shipment.

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.