Sourcing synthetic filament yarn from China

Zero duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, high-tenacity yarn of nylon, aramid or polyester, textured yarn of nylon, polyester or polypropylene, single untwisted yarn including elastomeric and partially oriented polyester, twisted single yarn and multiple or cabled yarn of heading 5402 carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Sewing thread of synthetic filament is in heading 5401, yarn put up for retail sale in 5406, and staple fibre yarn in 5509; confirm the commodity code from the construction.

Specifying yarn

Yarn is bought on a specification, not a name. State the polymer, linear density in dtex with the filament count, lustre (bright, semi-dull or full dull), cross-section, tenacity and elongation, crimp or shrinkage for textured yarn, oil pick-up, twist and the package type and weight. For dope-dyed yarn, agree the colour standard and fastness.

Recycled polyester claims should be backed by a chain of custody certificate such as the Global Recycled Standard that covers the actual lot, and the finished textile's fibre labelling must use permitted names under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Names) Regulations 2012.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 20 tonnes of textured polyester yarn, entered under 5402 33 00 90: £29,000 free on board plus £2,600 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £31,600. Textured polyester yarn carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £31,600, £6,320, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

What goes wrong

Filament yarn fails in the knitting or weaving mill. Merge numbers that change between lots take up dye differently, so fabric shows barré stripes; broken filaments and loops cause stops and holes; and uneven oil pick-up or package density makes yarn run badly on high-speed machines. Recycled yarn can carry more variation and specks than virgin yarn, and cheap elastane loses power after heat setting.

Keep each order to one merge number, ask for the lot test certificate for dtex, tenacity, elongation and crimp, knit a dye-test sock or run a dye trial from each lot before bulk, check package weight, damage and labelling, and store yarn in its cartons away from heat and damp.

Cambridge China Bridge sources polyester, nylon, polypropylene and elastane filament yarn, with specifications, merge control and lot testing agreed before the order. Read how we source textile materials.