Sourcing silk chiffon fabric from China

Duty and classification for silk chiffon

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 5007 covers woven fabrics of silk or silk waste. The open-weave and crêpe lines shown here contain 85% or more silk or silk waste other than noil silk and carry 6% duty for goods from China. The supplied snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls.

These are classification candidates, not interchangeable codes for every fabric sold as chiffon. Give your broker the fibre composition, weave, yarn characteristics, finish and sample to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading, see the silk georgette guide. Budget separately for import VAT using UK import duty and VAT.

Specify the sheer fabric and its intended use

Specify silk content, yarn twist, weave, momme weight, usable width, colour or print, and the intended garment. Approve a sample for transparency, drape and handle against the intended lining or skin-tone backing. Agree tolerances for weight, width, shade and defects, and retain a sealed reference sample.

For sales in Great Britain, textile labels must show fibre content. Verify composition rather than relying on the supplier's chiffon description. For dyed silk, confirm with HSE which UK REACH restrictions apply and agree an appropriate dye-testing brief, alongside the site's silk fabrics guide. Agree colour fastness and seam-slippage tests for the intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 square metres of open-weave silk chiffon fabric under 5007 20 41 90, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,900. Duty at 6% is £1,494. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £26,394, so it is £5,278.80. Import taxes total £6,772.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,494 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition and weight: verify fibre content and mass per unit area against the approved specification; check usable width and roll length.

Shade and transparency: compare dye lots and the full width over the same backing; inspect print alignment and changes in sheerness.

Surface and seams: inspect against light for snags, holes, yarn displacement and water marks; test seam slippage using the intended seam construction.

Packing and identity: match roll labels to dye lots and test records; check tubes, sealed bags and protection from moisture and crushing. See quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A swatch can hide variation through a roll. Chiffon may arrive lighter or more transparent than approved, with shade bands, pulled yarns or creases that remain after pressing. Keep dye lots separate and inspect roll lengths before cutting.

A pleasing drape does not establish seam performance. Loose yarns can shift during sewing or wear, leaving visible gaps. Trial the intended garment seams before accepting bulk fabric, and record defects against the retained sample.

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.