Sourcing moulded rubber catering clogs from China

UK duty on moulded rubber catering clogs

Heading 6401 covers waterproof footwear with rubber or plastic outer soles and uppers, whose uppers are neither fixed to the sole nor assembled by stitching, riveting, nailing, screwing, plugging or similar processes. This guide concerns moulded rubber catering clogs meeting that description. See the wider wellington and rubber boots guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, all supplied lines carried 16% duty for goods from China. The records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The table separates clog variants sharing the same tariff lines; heel straps do not create a separate line.

For qualifying clogs without a protective metal toecap, consider 6401 99 00 90; qualifying footwear incorporating a protective metal toecap falls under 6401 10 00 00. Send your broker the material specification, photographs, waterproof construction details and strap attachment method to confirm the commodity code. Do not assume a vented design shares the classification.

Specify the rubber, tread and kitchen use

Agree the rubber compound, permitted material substitutions, upper coverage, heel retention, removable footbed and tread pattern. Approve internal length, width and instep space across the size range. Specify the cleaning products and cleaning method the clogs are intended to withstand, then compare cleaned samples with retained originals for distortion, cracking and surface changes.

For safety footwear, check the personal protective equipment requirements for sale in Great Britain. Most new personal protective equipment must bear UKCA or CE marking and be supplied with a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Ask for model-specific reports supporting the intended protection, including slip resistance on the relevant kitchen surfaces and contaminants. Agree testing and certification before production.

Ask the relevant authority to confirm footwear composition labelling requirements for the upper, lining and sock, and outer sole materials. Match the artwork to the actual construction. UK REACH restrictions can limit or prohibit substances; ask the laboratory to assess the rubber, pigments and footbed materials, including applicable restrictions on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-size order of moulded rubber catering clogs; values are not a quotation under 6401 99 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £1,480 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,480. Duty at 16% is £1,356.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,836.80, so it is £1,967.36. Import taxes total £3,324.16; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,356.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit and retention: measure internal length and width across the size range, check paired sizes, and compare heel hold and strap movement with approved fitting samples.

Moulding and flexibility: check sharp flash, incomplete filling, bubbles and thin areas. Flex the forefoot and strap roots, checking for cracks and separation of any bonded tread or footbed.

Grip and cleaning: match slip-resistance reports to the supplied model, compound and tread. Check tread definition and repeat the agreed cleaning trial on production samples.

Labels and documents: check composition labels against the materials, and protective models against their conformity documents and instructions. Reconcile sizes and carton contents during quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A matching colour can conceal a different rubber compound. Production clogs may feel harder, fit more tightly or flex differently from the sample. Thin moulded areas can split, heel straps can tear at their roots, and packing pressure can distort the opening. Compare unpacked pairs with retained samples and investigate material substitutions before accepting the batch.

A sole that looks heavily textured may still perform poorly on greasy or detergent-wet flooring. A report for another tread or compound does not establish the performance of the supplied clogs. Agree the relevant test conditions and keep the approved material and tread specification tied to the production order.

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.