Sourcing polyester-viscose fabrics from China
Woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibre blended below 85%, such as polyester-viscose (TR) suiting, polyester-wool and acrylic blends, pay 8% UK duty from China on all 27 lines, with no anti-dumping duty. The blend decides the code and the label, so test it. Pilling, shade and shrinkage are the usual failures. Cambridge China Bridge sources blended fabrics.
Polyester-viscose, poly-wool and other blended synthetic staple fabrics from China pay 8% UK duty. Blend testing, pilling, fastness and a worked example.
A flat 8%
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, other woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres, heading 5515, carried 8% on goods from China on all twenty-seven lines, with no anti-dumping measure and no suspension. The heading takes fabrics with less than 85% synthetic staple mixed mainly or solely with another fibre, split by what the polyester, acrylic or other synthetic staple is mixed with.
Polyester mixed with viscose staple is 5515 11, polyester with man-made filament 5515 12, and polyester with wool or fine animal hair 5515 13; acrylic blends are 5515 21 to 29. Polycotton, where cotton is the main other fibre, is in headings 5513 and 5514, and fabric of 85% or more synthetic staple is in our spun polyester and acrylic fabrics guide. Confirm the commodity code from a fibre test.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester mixed with viscose staple, unbleached or bleached | 5515 11 10 00 | 8% | None |
| Polyester mixed with viscose staple, dyed or yarn-dyed | 5515 11 90 00 | 8% | None |
| Polyester mixed with man-made filament, dyed | 5515 12 90 00 | 8% | None |
| Polyester mixed with combed wool (worsted), dyed or printed | 5515 13 99 00 | 8% | None |
| Acrylic mixed with combed wool (worsted), dyed or printed | 5515 22 99 00 | 8% | None |
| Other synthetic staple blends, dyed | 5515 99 80 00 | 8% | None |
Labels and chemicals
The [Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1102/contents) require the fibre composition in the listed names when fabric or garments are sold to consumers, with manufacturing tolerances allowed for blends. For uniforms and suits made in the UK, that label comes from the mill's blend, so test it rather than rely on the quality name.
Entry 43 of [Annex XVII of UK REACH](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1907/annex/XVII) restricts azo dyes that release listed aromatic amines in textiles in skin contact, so ask for a test per dyed or printed quality. See UK REACH for importers.
Specifying a blend
Polyester-viscose is the standard suiting, trouser and school uniform cloth because it drapes like wool at a lower cost and washes well; poly-wool adds handle and crease recovery. Specify the blend ratio, yarn count, weave, mass per square metre, width, finish such as anti-pilling or stretch, shade reference and the wash method the garment must survive.
Workwear and uniform buyers usually need the same cloth for years, so fix the quality code, the dyeing standard and the approved shade band with the mill.
Worked duty example
Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 12,000 m of dyed polyester-viscose suiting under 5515 11 90 00. At £30,000 free on board and £1,800 to ship and insure, the customs value is £31,800. Polyester-viscose suiting at 8% pay £2,544 of duty; VAT is then worked out on value plus duty, £34,344, giving £6,868.80. Of the £9,412.80 paid at import, only the £2,544 of duty stays a cost for a VAT-registered business. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.
Inspection checklist
Blend and weight: test fibre composition by the relevant part of ISO 1833 against the stated ratio, and measure mass per unit area to ISO 3801 and width to ISO 22198 on several pieces.
Wear: test pilling with the Martindale method of ISO 12945-2, tear strength to ISO 13937-2 and seam slippage to ISO 13936-1, which matters for trousers and linings, against the grades in the order.
Wash and colour: wash to ISO 6330 and measure dimensional change to ISO 5077, test colour fastness to washing to ISO 105-C06 and rubbing to ISO 105-X12, and check shade piece to piece against the approved band in a light box.
What goes wrong
Blended fabrics fail on blend, pilling and shade. Cloth sold as 65/35 tests at a lower polyester share and the garment label is wrong, viscose-rich blends pill and shrink after washing, seams slip on tight trousers, and repeat orders arrive a shade off the first batch so uniforms no longer match.
Test every new lot for blend and pilling, wash-test before cutting, and keep a shade band signed by both sides. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources polyester-viscose and other blended cloths for uniform, workwear and tailoring businesses, and can add a second mill for the same quality code. See second supplier.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on polyester-viscose fabric from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, polyester mixed with viscose staple (5515 11) carried 8% from China.
Is polycotton in the same heading?
No. Blends where cotton is the main other fibre are in headings 5513 and 5514.
Why does TR fabric pill?
Short staple fibres work loose with rubbing; test pilling to ISO 12945-2 and ask for an anti-pilling finish.
How do I keep uniform shades matching?
Fix the quality code and dye standard, and check each lot against a signed shade band.