Sourcing polyester fleece blankets from China

Duty and the blanket construction

Heading 6301 covers blankets and travelling rugs. This guide concerns non-electric polyester fleece blankets within the synthetic-fibre lines. Knitted fleece, nonwoven blankets and other constructions have separate codes; the table shows those alternatives, rather than interchangeable codes for the same blanket. See the wider blankets and throws guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 21 November 2026, all the synthetic-fibre blanket lines carried 12% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on these lines. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the fibre composition and whether the fabric is knitted, nonwoven or another construction before choosing the commodity code. A supplier's description of 'fleece' does not establish the construction.

Specify the fleece and wash performance

Write down polyester composition, fabric weight in grams per square metre, finished dimensions, colour, brushed finish and edge treatment. Approve a physical sample for softness and loft. Agree checks for pilling, shedding, shrinkage and colour transfer after washing, with acceptance criteria recorded before production.

For Great Britain, the textile label must show fibre content. Confirm the applicable label durability and legibility requirements with Trading Standards. Consumer blankets must also be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Keep care instructions consistent with the wash checks, and compare any polyester claim with a fabric composition test.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 8,000 knitted polyester fleece blankets, illustrative order under 6301 40 10 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 12% is £3,240. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,240, so it is £6,048. Import taxes total £9,288; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,240 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric: measure weight per unit area and finished dimensions against the order; compare colour, softness and loft with the approved sample.

Washing: check pilling, loose fibres, shrinkage and colour bleeding after the agreed wash; examine bonded backings for separation where supplied.

Edges and labels: pull seams and binding to check for unravelling; compare the fibre label with the composition report and check that it remains readable.

Packing: open compressed packs and check loft recovery, dampness and carton contents on arrival. Arrange quality inspection against the same specification before shipment.

What goes wrong

A soft sample can hide weak wash performance. Underweight fleece feels thin, loose fibres shed onto clothing, and poor finishing leaves pills after washing. Weak binding unravels, printed colours bleed and compressed blankets may fail to recover their loft.

Use the approved sample alongside measured weight and wash results. Record defects by colour and batch, and agree corrective action before shipment. Check arriving goods against those records rather than judging softness alone.

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.