Sourcing silk noil fabric from China

UK duty on silk noil fabric

Heading 5007 covers woven fabrics of silk or silk waste. Its noil silk lines distinguish fabric manufactured on handlooms from other noil fabric. This guide concerns fabric rolls; the wider silk fabrics guide covers other silk weaves.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, both noil silk lines carried 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls. The other silk blend rows are classification comparisons and carry 6%; they are not alternative codes to select simply because noil fabric is bleached or dyed.

Confirm the commodity code using the fibre composition, construction and manufacturing method. Do not classify a blend from the supplier's product name alone. Silk fabric quantities are declared in square metres.

Specify the noil texture and washed finish

Describe the intended garment, fibre composition, weave, usable width and mass per unit area. Approve a physical sample showing the acceptable uneven texture and flecks. Distinguish the intended surface from loose knots, holes and contamination, and agree whether the cloth is supplied unfinished, washed or dyed.

Test fibre content rather than accepting a silk description on the invoice. For sales in Great Britain, textile labels must show fibre content. For dyed silk, arrange restricted azo dye testing under UK REACH as described in the wider silk guide.

Agree washing conditions and acceptable changes in dimensions, shade and handle against the approved sample. Test colour fastness and a sewn sample for the intended use. Record the approved finish so that production cloth is not accepted solely because its unwashed appearance matches.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 square metres of silk noil fabric, illustrative order under 5007 10 00 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 2% is £498. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,398, so it is £5,079.60. Import taxes total £5,577.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £498 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition and weight: compare batch fibre results and mass per unit area with the order and approved sample. Check that fibre information agrees with the supplied cloth.

Texture and shade: inspect opened rolls under consistent lighting. Compare flecks and surface texture with the sample, and check shade across the width and between dye lots.

Wash and sewing: wash a production cutting using the agreed method. Check dimensional change, colour transfer, seam performance and changes in handle.

Roll condition: measure usable width and supplied length. Check holes, loose yarn, stains, creases and dampness, and retain roll and dye-lot identification through packing.

What goes wrong

An approved textured sample can become an excuse for accepting every defect. Define acceptable flecks and unevenness separately from holes, loose knots and stains. A smooth substitute, an undeclared blend or a heavier finish can also change the cloth's handle and performance.

Shade variation and washing changes may only become apparent after cutting. Keep dye lots separate, inspect production rolls and approve washed cuttings before releasing fabric for manufacture. Use an agreed quality inspection brief that refers to 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.