Sourcing retail silk yarn and silk thread from China
Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste put up for retail sale from China, such as silk embroidery floss, knitting yarn and craft skeins, and silkworm gut, pay 0% UK duty on both lines of heading 5006, with no anti-dumping duty. Craft brands check put-up, colour fastness, fibre labelling and retail packaging.
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0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 5006 covers silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silkworm gut. Both lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Silk yarn not put up for retail sale is covered in our silk yarn guide and spun silk yarn guide; confirm the commodity code from the put-up.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silk yarn put up for retail sale | 5006 00 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Yarn spun from noil or other silk waste for retail sale; silkworm gut | 5006 00 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying retail silk
Specify filament or spun silk, count or ply, skein or ball length and weight, colour references, fastness to washing and light, band design with fibre content, barcodes and assortment packing. Yarn and products sold to consumers need fibre composition labels under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012, so the fibre content must be tested and stated accurately.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 20,000 skeins of silk embroidery floss under 5006 00 10 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,300, so it is £1,660. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Colour: compare shades with the colour card and wash-test samples.
Put-up: check length and weight per skein.
Packaging: check bands, barcodes and assortments. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Retail silk orders fail on shade, fastness and labels. Colours vary between lots, bright dyes bleed in washing, and bands state the wrong fibre content.
Cambridge China Bridge sources yarns and materials for UK mills, makers and craft brands from small lots; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on silk embroidery thread from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, silk yarn put up for retail sale under 5006 00 10 00 carried 0% from China.
Is silk sewing thread in heading 5006?
Silk sewing thread has its own heading; confirm the code from the product and put-up.
Does silk craft yarn need a fibre label?
Yes. Yarn sold to consumers needs a fibre composition label, and silk must be stated accurately.
What is silkworm gut?
A strong filament drawn from silk glands, historically used for fishing lines and sutures, included in heading 5006.