Sourcing plaited straw cloche hats from China

UK duty on plaited straw cloche hats

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6504 covers hats and other headgear plaited or assembled from strips of any material, whether lined or trimmed. Plaited straw cloche hats fall within the supplied commodity line, 6504 00 00 00, at 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The supplied facts contain only this commodity line.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. Imports of cat and dog fur and products made from it are banned. Seal products can be imported and sold only in limited cases subject to strict conditions; ask your customs broker to confirm eligibility and documents before ordering such trims. CITES-listed species require the relevant permit: identify the straw and any animal decoration and confirm the applicable requirement with your broker.

Confirm the material and construction through finding your commodity code. For another finished style within this heading, see plaited straw trilby hats. Import VAT is separate from duty; see UK import duty and VAT.

Specify the bell-shaped crown and close brim

Name the straw material and specify whether the shell is plaited directly or sewn from plaited strips. Agree crown height, rounded profile, head opening, brim width and downward curve. A cloche should retain its bell shape without the brim pressing against the wearer's face.

Approve a physical sample showing the sweatband, lining, ribbon position, bow attachment and straw colour. Agree how much natural colour variation is acceptable. Consumer hats supplied in Great Britain must be safe; include checks for sharp straw ends and exposed fastenings in the product assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 900 plaited straw cloche hats, illustrative order under 6504 00 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,900, so it is £1,980. 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

Shape and fit: measure the head opening, crown and brim against the approved sample; check that the sweatband does not tighten the fit.

Straw and seams: check plait consistency, gaps, broken strands, protruding ends, loose joining stitches and glue marks.

Sweatband and trims: check colour transfer with a damp rub, lining seams and ribbon attachment; compare every trim material with the approved specification.

Packing and arrival: unpack hats from different cartons and check crown crushing, curled brims, moisture, musty odour and mould. Agree supports and nesting before shipment. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.

What goes wrong

A sample can have the right silhouette while production hats have flatter crowns or brims that turn unevenly. Tight sweatbands change the fit, coarse straw ends scratch, and ribbon tension puckers the shell. Compare production hats with the approved physical sample before packing.

Deep nesting and carton pressure can crush the crown and distort the brim. Moisture can leave stained or mouldy straw on arrival. Approve a packed sample, unpack it to assess shape recovery, and photograph affected hats before sorting damaged stock.

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.