Sourcing sliver-knit pile fabric from China

A flat 8% on the long-pile lines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6001 covers knitted or crocheted pile fabrics. For sliver-knit fabric confirmed as long-pile construction, the listed long-pile lines carry 8% duty on goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table separates wool from cotton and artificial fibres within their shared tariff code.

The synthetic-fibre long-pile line has an export CITES control attached. The other listed long-pile lines have import and export CITES controls attached. For covered species, CITES permits are required. For animal-fibre fabric from China, identify the species and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable import paperwork and border arrangements before shipment.

Give your broker a fabric sample, the knitting method and the pile and ground fibre compositions to confirm the commodity code. Treat these table descriptions as starting points for classification. See the wider pile-knit fabric guide for other constructions.

Specify the inserted pile and knitted ground

Sliver knitting feeds loose fibres from a carded sliver into a knitted ground. Specify the pile fibre blend separately from the ground yarn, along with pile height, density, mass per square metre, usable width and stretch. Agree the brushing, shearing, backing finish, shade and pile direction. Keep an approved sample showing both the face and reverse.

Fabric sold to consumers by the metre must show its fibre composition. Check the declared composition against the supplied quality, particularly when a wool pile sits on a synthetic ground. Agree care instructions and compare samples after the intended cleaning process, checking matting, shrinkage and pile recovery.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,200 metres of polyester sliver-knit pile fabric under 6001 10 00 10, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,200. Duty at 8% is £1,056. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £14,256, so it is £2,851.20. Import taxes total £3,907.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,056 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Pile retention: brush and tape-test sampled areas against the approved fabric; check loose fibres, bald patches and shedding from cut edges.

Surface and shade: examine the face with the pile lying in the same direction; check shearing bands, uneven density, shade changes and crushed areas.

Ground and dimensions: inspect the reverse for dropped stitches and weak areas; measure usable width and mass per square metre against the order.

Cleaning and packing: compare pile recovery and dimensional change after agreed cleaning; check that rolls are dry, protected and identified by batch. Arrange quality inspection before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A soft sample can hide poor fibre anchorage. Bulk fabric may shed during cutting and sewing, expose the ground when stretched or matt after cleaning. Differences in fibre blend or finishing can change the handle and pile recovery. Compare bulk samples with the approved sample after brushing, stretching and cleaning.

Uneven shearing creates visible bands, while reversed pile direction makes matching panels look different in colour. Tight packing can leave flattened areas. Agree roll protection, pile-direction identification and acceptance criteria with the mill before production.

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.