Sourcing silk blankets from China

UK duty on silk blankets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6301 covers blankets and travelling rugs. For silk blankets, the relevant other-material lines distinguish knitted or crocheted, nonwoven, hand-made and other construction. The table gives candidate lines, not a classification for every silk blend. Confirm the actual fabric and construction through finding your commodity code.

The selected lines carry 12% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension recorded. The supplied snapshot attaches CITES import and export controls to 6301 90 90 10, 6301 90 90 29 and 6301 90 90 99, but none to 6301 90 10 00. Where listed species are involved, CITES permit requirements apply. Ask your customs broker to confirm the documents required for the actual materials before importing from China.

For other blanket materials and electric blankets, see the blankets and throws guide. Keep this order's specification centred on the silk fibre content and how the blanket is made.

Specify the silk, weave and finish

State whether the blanket uses mulberry silk, tussah silk or spun silk, and give the agreed fibre composition for any blend. Specify woven, knitted or nonwoven construction, finished dimensions, fabric weight, surface finish, colour and edge binding. Approve a physical sample for hand, drape and appearance. Clarify whether the supplier is offering a blanket or a filled quilt.

The fibre content must appear on the label. Match the silk claim to a fibre composition test, rather than relying on softness or sheen. Consumer blankets sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Agree care instructions after testing the proposed cleaning method on the finished blanket.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 800 woven silk blankets for an independent homeware retailer, illustrative only under 6301 90 90 99, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,800. Duty at 12% is £2,976. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,776, so it is £5,555.20. Import taxes total £8,531.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,976 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition and labels: compare fibre test results, the order and the sewn label; investigate any substituted yarn or unexplained blend.

Fabric and colour: compare bulk goods with the approved sample for weight, shade, sheen, snags, uneven brushing and colour transfer onto a pale cloth.

Cleaning and edges: trial the stated care method; check shrinkage, distortion, surface changes, seam opening and loose binding.

Arrival and packing: at inspection, measure finished dimensions and check for dampness, musty odour, staining and compression marks after unpacking.

What goes wrong

A sample can feel soft while bulk goods contain a different blend or a heavier finishing treatment. Brushed surfaces can hide uneven fabric, and loosely woven silk can snag or open at stitched edges. Keep an approved sample and compare bulk fibre results and construction before releasing the shipment.

Dark colours can transfer, cleaning can alter the hand or distort the blanket, and damp packing can leave stains or odour. Test the actual colourways and finished edges using the proposed care method. Check unpacked goods before putting them into retail stock.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.