Sourcing real fur rugs from China

2% duty on made-up real fur rugs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 9 October 2026, heading 4303 covers apparel, clothing accessories and other articles of furskin. This guide concerns finished real fur rugs within its other-articles line, 4303 90 00 00. The table distinguishes rug types using that same commodity line. A whole dressed skin supplied without manufacture into an article may belong under heading 4302.

The recorded duty for goods from China is 2%, with no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension listed. The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, seal-product and restriction-on-entry-into-free-circulation controls. Cat and dog fur imports are banned. Check species and required CITES documents before shipment. Seal products are restricted; the indigenous-hunt exemption requires a seal catch attestation. Ask your customs broker to confirm the free-circulation restriction for the species and origin.

Confirm the commodity code using photographs, species details and the rug's construction, including any backing. Do not classify a dressed skin as a made-up rug simply because the supplier calls it a rug. For related finished fur articles, see our real fur blanket guide.

Specify the skins, joins and floor backing

Name the animal species and request its scientific name, origin and farmed or wild status. Define the finished shape and dimensions, hair length and density, natural or dyed colour, skin softness, patch layout and permitted repairs. Approve a physical sample showing the underside as well as the pile.

Specify seam construction, edge finish, backing material and attachment method. Agree checks for shedding, dye transfer, seam strength and movement on the intended floor surface. Consumer rugs sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; assess slipping and curled edges as part of the product review.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 300 small patchwork rabbit fur rugs 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 batch documents with the approved species and origin; arrange independent identification if the material is uncertain.

Pile and skin: brush and gently pull sampled areas for shedding; flex the skin and check for cracking, tears, bald patches, odour and mould.

Joins and backing: spread the rug flat, examine patchwork seams and edges, and check backing attachment, exposed joins and curling.

Colour and care: compare patches with the approved sample, check dye transfer with a damp cloth, and review cleaning instructions and packing. Use our quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A good-looking sample can conceal weak skin or poor joins. Rugs may shed, split along patchwork seams, show mismatched pile direction or transfer dye onto flooring. Folded packing can leave distorted edges, while damp skins can develop odour or mould. Inspect the underside and open packed samples before accepting the batch.

Species substitution can also change the import position. Keep species and origin evidence tied to the supplied batch, and resolve discrepancies before shipment. A supplier's description of the rug as natural fur does not identify the animal or settle the tariff controls.

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.