Sourcing plaited hat shapes from China
Hat shapes from China that are plaited or made by assembling strips of any material, such as straw, paper braid, raffia and sisal hoods, not blocked, brimmed, lined or trimmed, pay 0% UK duty under the single code 6502 00 00 00, with no anti-dumping duty. Milliners and hat makers check plait tightness, size, stiffness and moisture.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 6502 covers hat-shapes, plaited or made by assembling strips of any material, neither blocked to shape, nor with made brims, nor lined, nor trimmed. It is a single code carrying 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Finished straw hats are covered in our straw hats guide, and felt hat bodies in our felt hat bodies guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hat-shapes, plaited or made by assembling strips of any material | 6502 00 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying hat shapes
Specify the material and plait (fibre, width and pattern), shape (cone or capeline), size, crown depth, stiffening, colour and natural variation allowed, and moisture content. Finished hats sold to consumers may need fibre labels where they are textile products, so know the material.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 paper braid hat hoods under 6502 00 00 00, invoiced at £4,500 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,000, so it is £1,000. 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
Plait: check tightness, broken strands and joins.
Size and shape: measure diameter and crown depth, and block a sample.
Moisture and packing: check for mould and that shapes are nested without crushing. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Hat shape orders fail on plait quality, size and mould. Plaits are loose or broken, sizes vary, and damp shapes grow mould in the container.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these materials for UK makers from small lots; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on straw hat shapes from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, plaited hat shapes under 6502 00 00 00 carried 0% from China.
Are finished straw hats in heading 6502?
No. Heading 6502 is for unblocked shapes; finished hats are heading 6504.
What should I check on hat shapes?
Plait tightness, broken strands, size, crown depth and moisture.
Why do straw hat shapes go mouldy?
Natural fibres packed damp grow mould in transit; agree a moisture limit.