Sourcing men's woven ski jackets from China

Duty, finished weight and animal-material controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6201 includes men's anoraks and ski jackets. The selected woven cotton and man-made-fibre lines all carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. Their codes distinguish garments not exceeding 1 kg from those exceeding that weight.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur import and export controls and a seal-products import control. Imports and exports of cat and dog fur, including products made from it, are banned. Under the traditional indigenous-hunt exemption, seal products need a seal catch attestation certificate. For China-sourced jackets containing seal material, ask your customs broker to confirm eligibility and documentation before ordering.

Weigh a finished production sample and give your broker the shell composition, fabric construction and garment details to confirm the commodity code. The table is for ski-jacket styles within this heading. See the coats, parkas and jackets guide for wider outerwear and the import duty and VAT guide for the calculation method. For Harrington styles, see our men's woven Harrington jacket sourcing guide.

Specify the ski shell, insulation and movement

Specify shell fibre composition, fabric construction, waterproof finish, lining and insulation separately. Agree hydrostatic-head and breathability tests, seam-tape coverage and performance after washing. Define hood adjustment, collar height, glove-friendly zip pulls, underarm ventilation, snow skirt and ski-pass pocket. Approve fit over the intended base and insulating layers, including sleeve reach with arms raised.

For sale in Great Britain, consumer products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Fibre composition needs a label. Where down, feathers, fur or leather introduce non-textile animal-origin parts, confirm the required animal-origin label wording with the relevant authority. Match label artwork to the approved materials and retain the production sample and supporting test reports.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 men's woven ski jackets of man-made fibres, each not exceeding 1 kg under 6201 40 10 90, invoiced at £33,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,800. Duty at 12% is £4,056. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £37,856, so it is £7,571.20. Import taxes total £11,627.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £4,056 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Shell and seams: check production fabric against the approved sample, inspect tape at curves and seam crossings, and test waterproofing and tape adhesion after washing. For raincoat checks, see our men's woven raincoat sourcing guide.

Fit and ski features: measure each sampled size, check sleeve reach over layers, hood adjustment, snow-skirt closure and pocket access while wearing gloves.

Insulation and trims: compare fill material and distribution with the specification, check for cold spots, cycle zips and snaps, and verify any claimed synthetic fur.

Labels and arrival condition: compare fibre and animal-origin statements with actual materials; check garment weight, size assortment, dampness, mould and crushed insulation. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.

What goes wrong

A shell sample can pass a waterproof test while the finished jacket leaks at pocket openings, embroidery or poorly taped seam crossings. Tape can lift after washing, and a changed lining or insulation can restrict movement despite unchanged outside measurements.

Other failures include uneven fill, sleeves riding up when the wearer reaches forward, glove-unfriendly zip pulls and snow skirts that pull open. Agree acceptance checks on the finished jacket, keep an approved sample, and compare production pieces before dispatch and again on arrival.

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. For sleeveless outerwear, see our men's woven padded gilet sourcing guide.