Sourcing polyester-viscose gabardine from China

A flat 8% duty on the relevant finishes

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 5515 covers other woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres. For gabardine made from polyester staple mixed mainly or solely with viscose staple, the relevant lines distinguish unbleached or bleached, printed and other finishes. Dyed and yarn-dyed cloth share the other-finish code, so they appear separately in the table under the same code.

These polyester-viscose lines carry 8% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for these lines. This statement concerns polyester-viscose cloth, rather than the animal-fibre blends elsewhere in the heading.

Confirm the blend and finish with a fibre report and supplier specification before selecting your commodity code. Gabardine describes the weave, so the name alone does not settle classification. See the wider polyester-viscose fabrics guide for other fabrics in this family.

Specify the gabardine twill and finished handle

Specify polyester and viscose proportions, yarn count, weave, fabric weight, usable width and finish. Supply an approved swatch showing the diagonal twill, face appearance and handle. Agree the washing method, shrinkage acceptance, pilling performance and seam-slippage acceptance for the intended trousers, skirts or uniforms.

Fix a quality reference and shade band for repeat orders. Textile labels must show fibre content, so verify the mill's composition before preparing consumer labels. For dyed or printed cloth intended for skin contact, confirm any applicable UK REACH azo dye restrictions with the relevant authority; request testing for the ordered quality and colours.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 12,000 metres of dyed gabardine, illustrative only under 5515 11 90 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £31,800. Duty at 8% is £2,544. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £34,344, so it is £6,868.80. Import taxes total £9,412.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,544 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition and dimensions: test the blend and compare weight, usable width and roll length with the order.

Twill and surface: compare diagonal definition and handle with the approved swatch; check for weaving faults, creases and uneven finishing.

Shade and rubbing: compare rolls against the signed shade band and test colour transfer, including dark uniform shades.

Washing and seams: wash samples before cutting, measure dimensional change, and test pilling and seam slippage against the agreed acceptance. Use the quality inspection guide to organise the checks.

What goes wrong

A cloth can match the sample colour while differing in blend, weight or finish. Pilling and shrinkage may only become apparent after washing, while seam slippage can make trouser seams unsuitable. Approve washed samples and seam tests before committing cloth to production.

Shade differences between rolls can leave garment panels visibly mismatched. Keep rolls identified by dye lot, compare them before cutting and retain reference swatches for repeat purchases. Quarantine cloth that falls outside the agreed shade band.

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.