Sourcing tar-coated jute fabric from China

Tar-coated jute fabric: 4% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 5907 covers textile fabrics otherwise impregnated, coated or covered, including painted scenery canvas. For tar-coated jute fabric supplied as fabric, the relevant candidate is the Other line, 5907 00 00 90. The table shows product variants within that same line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The recorded duty for goods from China is 4%. This line has no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty, tariff suspension or attached import control. The suspension on the adhesive fabric with embedded spheres line does not cover ordinary tar-coated jute fabric.

Confirm the commodity code using the fibre composition, coating formulation and supplied form. A plastic coating or a finished tarpaulin can change the classification. See the wider coated fabric guide for the rest of this heading.

Specify the jute base and tar coating

Specify the jute fibre composition, weave, base-cloth mass, finished mass, usable width and roll length. Describe whether the coating covers the surface or penetrates the weave, and agree acceptable coating transfer, flexibility and water resistance using a signed sample and a written test method.

Ask the supplier to identify the coating chemically, including whether it contains coal tar, petroleum bitumen or a blend. UK REACH generally covers chemicals in articles, and its restrictions can limit, ban or condition the marketing or use of substances. Check the applicable restrictions against the actual formulation and intended use through testing and certification. Include safety information if the product could be dangerous.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 8,000 square metres of tar-coated jute fabric in rolls under 5907 00 00 90, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £15,200. Duty at 4% is £608. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £15,808, so it is £3,161.60. Import taxes total £3,769.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £608 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Base cloth: compare weave, fibre declaration, usable width and roll length with the specification; look for broken yarns, thin patches and damaged selvedges.

Coating: compare finished mass and coverage across the width and along the roll; check exposed weave, pinholes, lumps and transfer onto a clean contact surface.

Flexibility: unroll and bend samples after conditioning at the agreed storage and use temperatures; check cracking, flaking and layers sticking together.

Packing: inspect wrapping, cores and roll ends for dampness, mould and crushing; match batch identifiers to the coating declaration and relevant test reports.

What goes wrong

A dark coating can hide weak or uneven jute, so appearance alone is a poor acceptance test. Reject unexplained changes in base-cloth or coating mass. A roll that sticks together may tear during unwinding, while a brittle coating can crack when folded. Test the production batch against the approved sample before dispatch.

Do not accept tar, bitumen and plastic as interchangeable descriptions. An undisclosed formulation change undermines both classification and chemical checks. Keep coating transfer and damp packing on the arrival inspection brief, and agree how affected rolls will be isolated and assessed.

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.