Sourcing polyester textured yarn from China

Zero duty on polyester textured yarn

Heading 5402 covers synthetic filament yarn other than sewing thread, not put up for retail sale. Ordinary textured polyester yarn falls within 5402 33; high-tenacity polyester yarn has separate lines that also cover textured yarn. The table includes those high-tenacity alternatives only where the supplied yarn is textured. See the wider synthetic filament yarn guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, the relevant polyester textured yarn lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Give your customs broker the polymer, texturing method, linear density, filament count, tenacity, elongation, shrinkage and oil content to confirm the commodity code. Do not choose the detailed specification line solely because the supplier calls the yarn textured polyester.

Specify crimp, shrinkage and dye behaviour

Specify polyester filament construction, linear density, filament count, lustre, cross-section and texturing method. Agree tenacity, elongation, crimp contraction, boiling-water or hot-air shrinkage, oil pick-up and the test methods. State the package type, net yarn weight and winding requirements for your knitting or weaving equipment.

Approve a reference package and a knitted dye-test tube. Agree merge identification and how the factory will keep different merges separate. For dope-dyed yarn, agree the shade reference and colour-fastness checks. Textile labels must show fibre content; keep that information consistent with the supplied yarn.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of textured polyester filament yarn under 5402 33 00 90, invoiced at £29,000 free on board, with £2,600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £31,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £31,600, so it is £6,320. 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

Lot performance: compare linear density, tenacity, elongation, crimp and shrinkage results with the agreed specification using packages from different cartons.

Dye behaviour: dye a knitted test tube from each merge alongside the approved reference before releasing yarn for bulk production.

Unwinding: check broken filaments, loops, uneven oil application, package build and tail ends during a trial on the intended equipment.

Identity and packing: reconcile merge labels with the packing list, check net yarn weight and inspect cartons for damp or crushing. See quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

Different merges can take up dye differently and produce barré stripes in knitted fabric. Broken filaments and loops cause stops or holes, while uneven oil pick-up and package density disrupt unwinding. A satisfactory appearance on the cone does not establish satisfactory knitting or dyeing performance.

Keep merges separate, retain reference packages and run a dye trial before bulk knitting or weaving. Record defects against the carton and merge so that suspect stock can be isolated. Store yarn in its cartons away from heat and damp.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.