Sourcing stretch jacquard knits from China

UK duty: 6% to 8%

Heading 6004 covers knitted or crocheted fabric wider than 30 cm containing at least 5% by weight of elastomeric yarn or rubber thread, excluding heading 6001. Stretch jacquard belongs here only when it meets those conditions. The knitted pattern alone does not determine classification. See the wider knitted fabrics guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied elastomeric-yarn lines without rubber thread carry 8% duty for goods from China; the other line carries 6%. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. The other line attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur. Importing, exporting or placing cat and dog fur, or products containing it, on the UK market is prohibited.

Give your customs broker the construction, finished width, fibre breakdown and confirmation of rubber thread content to check the commodity code. Use the import duty and VAT guide when costing the order. The worked order is illustrative.

Specify the jacquard pattern and recovery

Specify the knitted construction, fibre composition, finished mass per square metre and usable width. Attach the approved pattern artwork and fabric sample, showing repeat dimensions, motif orientation, face and reverse. Agree stretch and recovery in each direction, the washing method and acceptable dimensional change. Check how the motif looks when stretched and how repeats align across garment seams.

Fabric sold by the metre to consumers must show its fibre composition. Confirm appropriate fibre names and applicable dye restrictions for prolonged skin contact with the relevant authority. Ask for composition verification and relevant dye testing for the intended garment use; discuss the scope through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 metres of polyester-elastane jacquard knit in rolls, illustrative only under 6004 10 00 10, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,800. Duty at 8% is £1,824. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,624, so it is £4,924.80. Import taxes total £6,748.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,824 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Pattern: compare bulk rolls with the approved sample for repeat dimensions, motif alignment, missing stitches, needle lines and loose floats on the reverse.

Width and weight: measure relaxed usable width and mass per square metre across sampled rolls; check roll identification and supplied length against the packing list.

Stretch and washing: compare extension and recovery in each direction, then wash samples and check shrinkage, twist, puckering and changes to the pattern.

Colour and surface: compare roll shades and edge-to-centre variation with the approved colour sample; test washing and rubbing fastness, pilling and snagging. Record faults through an agreed quality inspection.

What goes wrong

The sample can match the artwork while bulk fabric has a different repeat size after finishing. A motif that distorts under stretch can spoil the garment appearance, and poor recovery leaves bagging at knees or elbows. Loose reverse floats catch during handling, while dropped stitches interrupt the pattern.

Narrow usable width and shifted repeats increase cutting waste. Shade differences become obvious when panels from different rolls are joined. Keep the approved sample, group rolls by shade and trial-cut and wash a garment before releasing the fabric for bulk cutting.

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.