Sourcing modacrylic hand-knitting yarn from China

Duty on retail modacrylic yarn

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 5511 covers yarn of man-made staple fibres, other than sewing thread, put up for retail sale. Modacrylic hand-knitting yarn falls within the synthetic-fibre family. The table shows retail-pack variants sharing the relevant commodity codes.

Goods from China carry 0% duty on both relevant lines: 5511 10 00 00 for yarn containing 85% or more synthetic staple fibres by weight, and 5511 20 00 00 for less than 85%. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. The threshold concerns total synthetic-fibre content, rather than modacrylic alone.

Confirm the commodity code using the full fibre breakdown and the weight and form of each retail pack. A blend dominated by another fibre may belong elsewhere, and cones should not automatically use a retail-yarn code. See the wider hand-knitting yarn guide for neighbouring fibre families.

Specify the modacrylic blend and knitted result

Specify modacrylic separately from acrylic in the factory brief, with the complete blend by weight. Agree yarn count, ply, twist, net ball weight, metres per ball, winding style and colour references. Approve a knitted swatch for handle, stitch definition, splitting and pilling, alongside the recommended needle size and tension information.

Consumer yarn needs a fibre composition label using permitted fibre names. Check composition before printing ball bands. Agree dye-lot identification and care instructions against the tested blend. Any information included on the label must be accurate, so require supporting tests before approving claims about flame resistance or other performance.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4,000 retail balls of modacrylic hand-knitting yarn, 100 g each under 5511 10 00 00, invoiced at £2,200 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,400, so it is £680. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition: compare a laboratory fibre analysis with the ordered modacrylic blend and the printed ball band; investigate any substitution before accepting stock.

Weight and length: weigh conditioned samples from each lot and check the stated metres against yarn count and net weight; compare winding firmness with the approved sample.

Shade and knitting: compare dye lots with retained samples under consistent lighting; knit and wash swatches to check colour transfer, shrinkage, splitting and surface pilling.

Bands and cartons: match fibre content, colour and dye-lot details across bands and cartons; unwind sampled balls for knots and breaks. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A supplier may treat acrylic and modacrylic as interchangeable in the paperwork, while the delivered blend differs from the approved sample. This can undermine the fibre label, knitted handle and care instructions. Keep a tested yarn sample and an approved ball band together as the production reference.

Mixed dye lots can leave visible changes within a garment, while short metreage or excessive knots interrupt knitting. Separate stock by dye lot on arrival and record discrepancies before releasing it for sale. For blends sold on performance claims, assess the supplied yarn and knitted result rather than relying on a fibre brochure.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.