Sourcing real fur cushion covers from China

Duty and species controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 9 October 2026, heading 4303 covers apparel, clothing accessories and other articles of furskin. For real fur cushion covers, check the other-articles line, 4303 90 00 00. The table shows product variants sharing this candidate line, rather than separate species codes. Goods from China carry 2% duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded.

The tariff attaches a restriction on entry into free circulation, CITES controls, cat and dog fur controls and seal controls. Confirm species-specific import and sale prohibitions with your customs broker before ordering. Listed species need CITES permits. Confirm any applicable seal-product market exceptions with the relevant authority; commercial imports into Great Britain must have a seal catch certificate. Controlled furs without acceptable certification should be detained; ask your customs broker to confirm the entry restriction and origin documents for the actual species sourced through China.

Send photographs, the species identification and details of the fur face, backing and any filling to your broker to confirm the commodity code. Keep cover-only orders distinct from filled cushions and textile products with fur trim. See the real fur blankets guide for the wider product family.

Specify the fur face and cover construction

Specify the species by scientific name, fur origin and whether it is farmed or wild. Agree skin grade, hair length, density, colour, dyeing, tanning and acceptable natural variation. Ask for a sample showing the skin joins, rather than approving only a photograph of the pile.

Define finished dimensions, the intended cushion insert, fur direction, backing material, lining, seam construction and zip opening. State whether the order excludes filling. Agree cleaning instructions and test the proposed method on the complete sample for shrinkage, stiffness and dye transfer.

Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe. Include fire risk in the product assessment and ask the testing provider to identify the applicable checks for the intended use. For textile products with fur trim, confirm animal-origin labelling requirements with the relevant authority; do not assume every fur-faced cover has the same textile labelling obligations.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 rabbit fur cushion covers; illustrative order, FOB value and freight under 4303 90 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,500. Duty at 2% is £190. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,690, so it is £1,938. Import taxes total £2,128; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £190 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Species: compare the supplied fur with the approved identification and origin documents; arrange independent species testing if uncertain.

Fur and skin: check shedding, bald patches, odour, skin flexibility and tearing around joins; rub the dyed pile against a light cloth.

Fit and seams: fit the intended insert, operate the zip and check corner shape, seam openings and fur trapped in stitching.

Finish and packing: compare colour and hair direction across the batch, check agreed labels and care wording, and inspect for dampness or mould. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A cover can look consistent from the front while its skin joins are weak or its backing fits poorly. Common failures include shedding, stiff skins, dye transfer, mismatched panels and zips catching the pile. Retain an approved complete sample and inspect both the fur surface and the inside construction.

A supplier's common species name does not establish the fur's origin or import status. Settle identification and customs documents before shipment, and keep the sales description consistent with the actual materials. Do not accept a substitute species without checking it again.

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.