Sourcing metallic thread fabrics from China
Woven fabrics of metal thread and of metallised yarn from China, used for evening wear, stage costume, trims and furnishing, pay 0% UK duty under 5809 00 00 00, with no anti-dumping duty. Fibre labels use the name metal, metallic or metallised, and the main checks are tarnish, shedding, handle and colour against the approved sample.
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0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 5809 covers woven fabrics of metal thread and woven fabrics of metallised yarn of heading 5605, of a kind used in apparel, as furnishing fabrics or for similar purposes, not elsewhere specified. Its single line, 5809 00 00 00, carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension.
Fabrics where metallised yarn is one of several yarns may classify with the main fibre, such as our polyester and nylon woven fabrics guide, and lace with metallic thread is covered in our lace and tulle guide; confirm the commodity code. For polyester organza, see our polyester organza sourcing guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woven fabrics of metal thread or metallised yarn | 5809 00 00 00 | 0% | None |
Neighbouring codes to rule out
Heading 5809 is 0%, but only fabric that is mainly metal thread or metallised yarn belongs there. Under the textile section notes, a fabric of mixed yarns is classified by the fibre that predominates by weight, so a polyester filament fabric with a lurex stripe is usually classified with polyester woven fabrics, which were 8% on goods from China, and metallised yarn sold on its own is heading 5605 at 4%. Ask the mill for the fibre composition by weight before you rely on the 0% line; see our synthetic filament yarn guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty |
|---|---|---|
| Metallised yarn | 5605 00 00 00 | 4% |
| Woven fabrics with 85% or more textured polyester filaments, dyed | 5407 52 00 00 | 8% |
| Woven fabrics of metal thread or metallised yarn | 5809 00 00 00 | 0% |
Fibre labelling
Annex I to the retained Textile Fibre Names Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 gives, for fibres from miscellaneous or new materials, the name of the material of which the fibres are made, for example metal (metallic, metallised). Garments and furnishings made from these fabrics need a fibre composition label using the listed names.
Specifying metallic fabric
Specify the yarn (metal thread or metallised film yarn), base yarn, weave, weight in g/m², width, colour and finish, tarnish resistance, washing or dry-cleaning care, and roll length and packing. If your garment project also needs interlining, see our nonwoven fusible interlining sourcing guide.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 3,000 metres of woven metallised yarn fabric, entered under 5809 00 00 00: £9,000 free on board plus £600 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £9,600. Metallic fabric carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £9,600, £1,920, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
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Inspection checklist
Appearance: compare colour, sparkle and handle with the approved sample under the same light.
Performance: check shedding and flaking of metallic yarn after rubbing and a wash or dry-clean test.
Rolls: check width, length, weaving faults and shade variation between rolls.
What goes wrong
Metallic fabric orders fail on shade, shedding and tarnish. Colour differs between rolls, metallised yarn flakes or breaks at seams, and the finish dulls after cleaning. For thread used in garment assembly, see our sewing thread sourcing guide.
Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources metallic fabrics for UK fashion, costume and interiors buyers, checking the mill first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on metallic fabric from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, woven fabrics of metal thread or metallised yarn under 5809 00 00 00 carried 0% from China.
How is metallic yarn named on a fibre label?
Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 uses the material name, such as metal, metallic or metallised.
What fails most often?
Shade differences between rolls, shedding metallic yarn and tarnish after cleaning.
Is every fabric with metallic yarn in 5809?
No. Fabric where metallised yarn is only one yarn may classify with the main fibre.