Sourcing men's woven board shorts from China

Duty and the swimwear classification boundary

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, men's or boys' woven swimwear under 6211 11 00 00 carries 12% duty from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, suspension or attached import control for this line. Heading 6211 also covers tracksuits, ski suits and other garments; this guide concerns men's woven board shorts only.

HMRC says swimming shorts must have sewn-in inner briefs or at least front crotch lining and fit tightly at the waist. They cannot have a front opening or opening at the waist. Ask your broker to confirm whether pocket closures affect classification. A board-short name alone does not establish swimwear classification; ask your broker to assess the finished construction.

The table shows product variants sharing the same swimwear line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code using a sample, fabric details and photographs of the waist, crotch and pockets. See the tracksuits and swimwear guide for the wider heading.

Specify the waistband, lining and wet performance

Specify woven fabric construction, fibre composition, fabric weight, stretch direction and recovery, finished measurements and grading. Draw the waistband and fastening arrangement, crotch lining, pocket closures and drainage details. Agree whether seams and lining remain comfortable when wet, and approve a fit sample before bulk cutting.

Agree colourfastness checks for sea water, chlorine and light, wet opacity for pale colours, and washing checks against the intended care instructions. Require fibre composition labelling and compare the label artwork with the bulk fabric composition. Keep care instructions consistent with the tested garment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 men's woven board shorts classified as swimwear under 6211 11 00 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 12% is £696. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,496, so it is £1,299.20. Import taxes total £1,995.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £696 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit and waist: measure each ordered size against the approved chart, check drawcord anchorage and test whether the waistband stays secure when wet.

Lining and seams: check front crotch coverage, seam comfort, skipped stitches and reinforcement at pocket corners and drawcord exits.

Fabric and print: compare bulk colours with the approved sample, check wet opacity and inspect colour transfer and print cracking after the agreed exposure tests.

Labels and packing: check fibre content, size labels, care artwork and carton size ratios against the order. Record arrival defects with photographs; use the inspection guide to prepare the checks.

What goes wrong

A factory may remove crotch lining, add a front opening or change pocket closures after sample approval. These changes can affect swimwear classification. Freeze the construction in the purchase specification and have the broker review changes before shipment.

Other failures include a waistband that loosens when wet, abrasive seams, pale fabric becoming transparent and prints bleeding onto lining. Check production garments rather than relying on a fabric swatch, and compare arrival samples with the retained approved garment.

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.