Sourcing men's grandad shirts from China

A flat 12% duty on woven grandad shirts

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6205 covers men's or boys' shirts. This guide concerns men's woven grandad-collar shirts, with a short collar band and no turn-down collar. Every supplied line carries 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed duty suspension.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to 6205 90 80 10 and 6205 90 80 90. CITES specimens include items made from listed animal or plant material, and importing them requires a permit. For a China order using these lines, identify the material and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable documentation before shipment.

Choose the commodity code from the fabric construction and composition, rather than the collar's sales name. See the men's woven shirts guide for the wider heading.

Specify the collar band and neck fit

Draw the collar band and specify its finished height, neck opening, front-end shape, button position and interlining. State whether the shirt has a full opening or a partial placket. Approve a sample worn both open and fastened: the band should sit comfortably without digging into the neck or spreading unevenly.

Agree the woven fabric, fibre composition, weight, colour, finish, size chart and measurement tolerances. Include sleeve length, cuffs, hem shape and pocket placement. Fibre composition must be labelled; confirm the permitted fibre names with the relevant authority, and agree care instructions and size information as part of the label artwork.

Businesses importing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety. Include checks for sharp button edges and loose attachments in the inspection brief, and agree relevant fabric testing through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 men's cotton woven grandad-collar shirts; illustrative quantity, FOB value and freight 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: compare band height, front symmetry, neck opening and button position with the approved sample; check comfort when fastened.

Fit and sewing: measure samples across sizes, check placket alignment, seam puckering, button attachment and stripe or check matching.

Wash performance: wash finished shirts using the agreed care instructions; check shrinkage, collar curling, interlining bubbles and colour transfer.

Labels and arrival: verify fibre composition, size and care artwork; inspect for shade variation, dampness, mould and incorrect size assortments. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.

What goes wrong

A grandad collar can look correct laid flat but feel tight when fastened. Uneven band ends make the neckline look crooked, while unsuitable interlining can bubble or turn the edge out after washing. A partial placket can also leave too little room to pull the shirt over the head.

Bulk fabric may shrink differently from the sample, shortening sleeves and tightening the neck. Approve a size set and washed finished sample before cutting bulk, then compare production shirts with those samples rather than relying on a photograph.

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.