Sourcing needle-felt event carpet from China

6% duty on needle-felt exhibition carpets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 November 2026, heading 5704 covers felt carpets and other textile floor coverings, not tufted or flocked, whether or not made up. All supplied lines carry 6% duty for goods from China. Machine-made exhibition carpet supplied in rolls or cut lengths falls within the description of 5704 90 00 90, subject to confirming its construction.

The supplied tariff data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches a DCMS Export Licence control. Official guidance says there are no licensing requirements for importing objects of cultural interest into Great Britain. Ask your customs broker to confirm how the attached export control should be handled for the shipment.

Confirm the commodity code using the carpet construction, supply format and tile area. The hand-made line applies only where that description is true. Compare the construction with tufted exhibition carpet. See UK import duty and VAT when calculating landed cost.

Specify the felt, backing and venue acceptance

Specify fibre composition, mass per unit area, thickness, roll width and usable length, colour reference, backing and any protective film. Agree whether the carpet is for temporary exhibition use or fitting as building flooring. Ask the venue for its fire requirements before approving the product.

For carpet supplied for fitting in buildings, obtain the declaration of performance and applicable CE or UKCA marking. CE marking continues to be accepted for construction products in Great Britain. Check that the fire report identifies the exact felt, backing and installation arrangement being supplied.

Approve a physical sample for shade, surface texture, stiffness and backing adhesion. Trial the intended fixing tape on the intended floor, including removal. Record whether protective film must remain during stand construction and who removes it before use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 m² of needle-felt exhibition carpet tiles under 5704 10 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,500. Duty at 6% is £630. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £11,130, so it is £2,226. Import taxes total £2,856; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £630 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Construction and paperwork: compare the production felt and backing with the approved sample and fire documentation; flag substitutions before loading.

Dimensions and coverage: measure usable roll width and length, weigh a cut sample for mass per unit area, and check tile size and squareness where applicable.

Colour and surface: compare rolls from different packs under the same light; rub and walk on samples to check colour transfer, shedding and pilling.

Backing and packing: unroll samples to check flatness, curling, backing separation and film removal; inspect arrival packs for moisture and crushed roll edges. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the checks.

What goes wrong

A fire report may cover a different backing from the goods delivered. Shade variation becomes obvious across adjoining strips, short rolls leave uncovered areas, and thin or loosely bonded felt pills under exhibition traffic. Curled edges and weak backing also make installation harder.

Film or fixing tape can lift fibres or leave residue when removed. Approve the complete installation sample, keep the approved backing in the order specification, and compare production rolls before dispatch. Photograph defects and retain labelled samples when checking the delivery.

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.