Sourcing men's woven clergy shirts from China

A flat 12% duty on woven clergy shirts

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6205 covers men's or boys' shirts. This guide focuses on men's woven clergy shirts, including cotton, man-made fibre and linen versions. The supplied lines all carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to 6205 90 80 10 and 6205 90 80 90. For shirts using those lines, confirm the requirement for the actual material and shipment from China with your customs broker. If applying for a CITES permit, check whether stricter controls apply to the specimen.

Confirm the commodity code from the woven construction and actual fibre composition rather than the clergy description alone. For the wider product family, see men's woven shirts.

Specify the clerical collar and neck fit

Specify a collar with a removable front insert or a full clerical collar, and supply the actual insert for sample approval. Agree the opening, collar stand, fastening arrangement and whether inserts are supplied with each shirt. Check that the insert stays centred without slipping or pressing against the neck.

Agree fabric composition, weight, opacity, colour, sleeve style, pocket position and tucked-in body length. Set a size chart covering neck, chest, shoulders and sleeves, with agreed tolerances. Approve samples wearing the intended insert, then wash finished shirts using the proposed care instructions.

Fibre composition must be labelled; confirm acceptable fibre names with the relevant authority before approving artwork. Agree care instructions and size identification alongside the fibre label. General product safety rules aim to ensure that only safe products reach the Great Britain market; include checks for sharp fastenings and unfinished insert edges.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 men's cotton woven clergy shirts under 6205 20 00 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 12% is £816. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,616, so it is £1,523.20. Import taxes total £2,339.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £816 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Collar: fit the approved insert to sampled shirts from each size; check centring, retention, fastening access and neck comfort before and after washing.

Measurements: check neck circumference, chest, sleeve and body length against the approved chart, including washed samples.

Fabric and sewing: compare shade across cartons, check opacity, wash shrinkage and colour transfer, and inspect collar bubbling, seam puckering and button attachment.

Labels and packing: match fibre information and size labels to the approved artwork; check insert inclusion, size assortment and clean, dry packing. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A shirt can match the chest measurement but still have a tight neck or an insert opening that lets the white tab slip sideways. Washing can shrink the collar stand, distort the opening or make the interlining bubble. Test the finished collar with the intended insert rather than approving the fabric alone.

Dark fabric can vary between batches or transfer colour onto the white insert. Thin fabric may show through under bright light, while rough seams around the collar can rub against the neck. Keep an approved finished sample and compare bulk shirts with it before 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.