Sourcing own-brand and custom socks from China
Socks and tights from China pay 12% UK duty whether cotton, wool or synthetic, and graduated compression hosiery of synthetic fibres 8%, with no anti-dumping duty. Every pair must be labelled with its fibre composition, durably and legibly, so the label follows the yarn. Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand, custom-logo and promotional socks.
Buying from China for a business? How our UK China sourcing agent service works · China sourcing agent for small orders and first imports
Duty by fibre and type
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, socks of cotton, wool or synthetic fibres and synthetic tights all carried 12% duty on goods from China. Graduated compression hosiery of synthetic fibres carried 8%. None carried an anti-dumping measure. For dancewear, see sourcing dance tights. For mesh styles, see our fishnet tights sourcing guide.
At 12% the duty is a real share of the landed price on an inexpensive product, so quote landed, not ex-works. The chief fibre decides the code, so confirm the commodity code against the yarn specification.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socks and other hosiery of cotton | 6115 95 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Socks and other hosiery of wool or fine animal hair | 6115 94 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Other hosiery of synthetic fibres | 6115 96 99 00 | 12% | None |
| Tights of synthetic fibres, under 67 decitex per single yarn | 6115 21 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Graduated compression hosiery of synthetic fibres | 6115 10 10 00 | 8% | None |
The fibre label is required
Article 14 of the textile fibre regulation, Regulation 1007/2011 as it applies in Great Britain, requires textile products to be labelled or marked with their fibre composition whenever they are made available on the market, and the label must be durable, easily legible, visible and accessible. The Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012 provide the enforcement.
For socks the label is usually on the packaging band or card, so put the fibre composition into the packaging artwork and check it against the yarn at inspection. A cotton-rich sock that is really mostly polyester is a labelling offence, not only a quality problem.
Knitting detail and minimums
Sock quality is set by the knitting machine and the finishing: the needle count, which decides how fine the knit is, whether the toe is hand-linked or machine-closed, and the elastane in the cuff. Put all three in the product specification and compare samples against it. For waterproof styles, see sourcing knitted waterproof socks. For diabetic styles, see our diabetic sock sourcing guide.
Custom designs are knitted in, not printed, so the minimum order is per design and colourway, and each size in the run adds to it. Promotional socks with a knitted logo are practical at modest quantities; a full own-brand range across sizes and colours needs larger runs.
What goes wrong in production
Colour shading between batches, cuffs that lose their stretch after washing, and a heel that sits in the wrong place for the size are the common faults. Ask for wash testing on production pairs and check sizing on the foot form, not only the flat measurement. For running styles, see our running sock sourcing guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand, custom and promotional socks to a written specification, matches the fibre label to the yarn, and inspects the pairs and packaging before shipment. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on socks from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, socks of cotton, wool or synthetic fibres carried 12% duty from China, and synthetic graduated compression hosiery 8%, with no anti-dumping duty.
Do socks need a fibre composition label in the UK?
Yes. Article 14 of Regulation 1007/2011, as it applies in Great Britain, requires textile products to show their fibre composition on a durable, easily legible label or marking.
What is the minimum order for custom logo socks?
It is set per design and colourway, because logos are knitted in, and each size adds to it. Agree the size run with the factory before it quotes.
What should a sock specification include?
The yarn and fibre percentages, needle count, toe closing method, elastane content, sizes and the packaging artwork with the fibre label.
Sources
What most often fails: Clothing, textiles and fashion
UK OPSS + EU / EEA Safety Gate (alerts counted separately in each system) · China-origin alerts over the 24 calendar month coverage window(2024-12 – 2026-11) · 152
Combined counts are alerts from both systems, not unique products across markets. Each source uses its own publication window; the same product may appear in both. · OPSS: 2024-12 – 2026-11 · Safety Gate: 2024-12 – 2026-11
- Chemical: 95
- Entrapment: 25
- Strangulation: 20
Most-cited regulations
- REACH Regulation: 79
- General Product Safety Regulation: 36
- EN 14682: 26
Checks to ask the factory for
- Ask for laboratory testing for restricted substances relevant to the materials and intended market.
- Match the report model, material colours and component list to the order.
- Ask how raw-material declarations and supplier changes are traced by batch.
Questions for due diligence, not a certification checklist or a guarantee of compliance. Select the applicable standards and tests with a competent laboratory.
The current calendar month is partial. These are published alerts, safety reports and recalls, not a measure of all products sold or a recall rate. Hong Kong is reported separately.
All recall dataContains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OPSS, GOV.UK product safety alerts)
Source: European Commission, Safety Gate, English XML (en), extracted 2026-11-09. XML distribution: CC0. Cambridge China Bridge analysis.