Sourcing spun modacrylic yarn from China
Spun modacrylic yarn from China carries a flat 4% UK duty across the relevant lines of heading 5509, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded. This heading excludes sewing thread and retail-packed yarn. Fibre content must be labelled, and animal-hair blends need CITES checks. Cambridge China Bridge sources spun modacrylic yarn.
UK duty on spun modacrylic yarn
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 9 November 2026, heading 5509 covers yarn of synthetic staple fibres, excluding sewing thread and yarn put up for retail sale. The modacrylic options include single and folded yarn containing 85% or more acrylic or modacrylic staple fibres, plus blends mainly with cotton, wool or fine animal hair, and other blends.
The relevant lines carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. The wool or fine-animal-hair blend line carries CITES import and export controls. For imports from China, ask your customs broker and APHA to confirm the animal species and applicable requirement. Where the animal material falls under CITES permit rules, arrange the relevant permit before import.
Confirm the commodity code using the complete fibre breakdown by weight, yarn construction and packing. A modacrylic blend does not automatically belong in a modacrylic subheading. For heading context, see our spun aramid yarn guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single yarn containing 85% or more acrylic or modacrylic staple fibres | 5509 31 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Folded or cabled yarn containing 85% or more acrylic or modacrylic staple fibres | 5509 32 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Modacrylic staple yarn mixed mainly or solely with wool or fine animal hair | 5509 61 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Modacrylic staple yarn mixed mainly or solely with cotton | 5509 62 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Other modacrylic staple yarn blends | 5509 69 00 00 | 4% | None |
Specify the modacrylic blend and fabric use
Name the modacrylic fibre grade and every blending fibre, with their proportions by weight. Agree yarn count, single or folded construction, twist direction, twist, breaking strength, elongation, evenness and hairiness. Add shade reference, dye lot, cone net weight, winding and carton identification. Ask the mill to retain an approved yarn sample.
For yarn intended for flame-resistant fabrics, agree tests on a knitted or woven trial using the intended blend, construction and finishing process. Ask for results tied to that sample rather than relying on a fibre brochure. Arrange testing and certification around the intended finished product.
Textile labels must show fibre content, including animal material. Check that the composition information matches the tested blend, and ask for colour fastness reports for dyed yarn.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,200 kilograms of single spun modacrylic yarn on cones under 5509 31 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,200. Duty at 4% is £688. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,888, so it is £3,577.60. Import taxes total £4,265.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £688 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Composition: check a laboratory fibre analysis against the agreed modacrylic blend and the supplier's composition information.
Yarn properties: sample cones across cartons and check count, twist, strength, elongation, evenness and hairiness against the specification.
Trial fabric: knit or weave a sample to check shade, barring, handle and the agreed flame-performance tests before bulk use.
Packing: check cone net weights, winding, dye-lot separation, carton identification and signs of moisture. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspection.
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What goes wrong
A supplier may quote acrylic when modacrylic was requested, change a blending fibre or provide a test report for a different composition. Compare the fibre identity, blend and batch details across the order, sample and reports. Investigate any mismatch before accepting the shipment.
Mixed dye lots can create barring, uneven yarn can break during production, and unsuitable winding can disrupt feeding. A fibre-level flame-performance claim also leaves the intended fabric untested. Keep batches separate and approve a trial fabric before committing the yarn to production.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on spun modacrylic yarn from China?
The relevant heading 5509 lines carry 4% duty in the supplied tariff reading, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded.
Is modacrylic yarn the same as acrylic yarn?
Specify modacrylic expressly and verify the fibre identity. The tariff groups acrylic and modacrylic together on relevant lines, but that does not make them interchangeable in your specification.
Does a modacrylic yarn report prove my fabric's flame performance?
Ask for tests on a trial fabric using your intended blend, construction and finish. A report for the fibre or a different fabric does not demonstrate the performance of your trial.
Do modacrylic and wool blends need CITES checks?
The wool or fine-animal-hair blend line carries CITES controls. Identify the animal species and ask your customs broker and APHA to confirm the applicable documents before shipment.