Sourcing men's woven bomber jackets from China

Duty by fibre and finished garment weight

Heading 6201 covers men's or boys' outerwear, including wind-jackets and similar articles. This guide focuses on men's woven bomber jackets. The table gives candidate lines for this family; confirm classification from the actual garment. Cotton and man-made fibre lines distinguish garments not exceeding 1 kg from heavier garments. See the wider coats, parkas and jackets guide. For duffle styles, see our men's woven duffle coat sourcing guide. For wool overcoats, see our men's woven wool overcoat guide. For ski styles, see our men's woven ski jacket sourcing guide. For Harrington styles, see our men's woven Harrington jacket sourcing guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 11 October 2026, all listed lines carried 12% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measures or suspensions. The tariff attaches cat and dog fur import and export controls and a seal-product import control. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import and export. For seal material, confirm eligibility with your customs broker; seal products brought into Great Britain for trade require a seal catch certificate.

Give your broker the shell composition, construction details, photographs and finished garment weight to confirm the commodity code. Weigh a production garment with its lining, padding and trims rather than relying on a fabric estimate. Use the import duty and VAT guide when budgeting the shipment.

Specify the shell, rib trims and bomber fit

Specify woven shell composition and finish, lining, padding, rib collar, cuffs and waistband. Agree chest, shoulder, sleeve and body measurements, tolerances and the intended fit over other clothing. Define rib stretch and recovery, zip type, pocket construction, reinforcement and embroidery position against an approved sample.

For sale in Great Britain, the label must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Where leather tabs, down or other non-textile animal parts are used, confirm the required animal-origin wording with the relevant authority and consult the wider outerwear guide. Consumer products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Review sharp zip edges, loose fasteners and seam security alongside appearance.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 men's woven bomber jackets of man-made fibres; illustrative order and values under 6201 40 10 90, invoiced at £11,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £11,800. Duty at 12% is £1,416. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,216, so it is £2,643.20. Import taxes total £4,059.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,416 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure production garments across the size range, checking sleeve length, shoulder balance and whether the waistband pulls the body upwards.

Rib trims: stretch cuffs and waistband, check recovery and colour matching, and wash samples to identify distortion or differential shrinkage.

Zips and pockets: operate the zip on finished jackets, check alignment and lining clearance, and inspect pocket openings and reinforcement. Include these checks in your quality inspection.

Materials and labels: compare shell, lining and padding with the approved specification, check fibre labels and animal-origin declarations, and test colour transfer where dark fabric meets light lining.

What goes wrong

A bomber can match the sample on a hanger but fit differently when worn. Tight ribbing shortens the body, sleeves twist, lining restricts movement and padding changes the chest fit. Weak rib recovery leaves cuffs loose; uneven feeding produces a wavy zip or puckered waistband.

Material substitutions can change handle, warmth and finished weight. Dark shells can mark pale linings, embroidery can pucker lightweight fabric and washing can shrink ribbing differently from the shell. Agree wash checks and defect acceptance before production, then compare arrival samples with the approved garment and inspection record.

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.