Sourcing textile banquet chair covers from China
Textile banquet chair covers under heading 6304 carry a flat 12% UK duty from China, with no listed trade remedies or suspensions. Fibre content must be labelled. Settle the intended furniture use and fire safety scope before ordering, and approve fit on the actual chair. Cambridge China Bridge sources textile banquet chair covers.
A flat duty rate for chair covers
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6304 covers other furnishing articles, excluding those of heading 9404. The chair-cover lines shown here distinguish knitted construction, cotton, and synthetic fabrics. Each carries 12% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or import control.
Some other textile-material lines within this heading carry CITES import controls. If considering those materials, confirm the control with your customs broker. Where a cover contains a CITES specimen, apply for the relevant permission to bring it into Great Britain and contact the Chinese management authority for the corresponding export permission.
Confirm the commodity code against the finished cover's fibre composition and construction. For related furnishing purchases within this heading, see banquet table skirts.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knitted or crocheted banquet chair covers | 6304 91 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Cotton banquet chair covers, not knitted or crocheted | 6304 92 00 90 | 12% | None |
| Nonwoven synthetic-fibre banquet chair covers | 6304 93 00 10 | 12% | None |
| Other synthetic-fibre banquet chair covers, not knitted or crocheted | 6304 93 00 90 | 12% | None |
Specify the chair shape and laundering
Send the factory photographs and measurements of the actual chair, including back height and width, seat shape and leg positions. Specify woven or stretch-knitted fabric, fibre composition, fabric weight, opacity, skirt length, seams and reinforced foot pockets. Approve a fitted sample rather than relying on a description such as universal fit.
Agree washing and drying instructions, then check fit, shade and stretch recovery after laundering. Fibre content must appear on the label. Domestic upholstered furniture has statutory flammability requirements; confirm with the relevant authority whether loose and stretch furniture covers fall within their scope. Confirm the intended use and applicable scope; for banquet venues, agree the venue's fire performance specification and matching test evidence before bulk production.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 6,000 cotton banquet chair covers, illustrative only under 6304 92 00 90, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,800. Duty at 12% is £1,176. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,976, so it is £2,195.20. Import taxes total £3,371.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,176 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit: try covers on the approved chair, checking the back corners, seat seams, hem clearance and foot-pocket alignment without excessive stretching.
Fabric: compare bulk shade and opacity with the approved sample; check washing shrinkage, colour transfer and stretch recovery.
Make-up: inspect seams, hems and reinforced pockets for skipped stitches, tearing and exposed elastic; check that pockets remain secure when fitting and removing covers.
Labels and evidence: verify fibre labels against the agreed composition and match any fire test report to the supplied fabric and finish. Use quality inspection to document the checks.
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What goes wrong
A cover can fit a sample chair yet fail across the venue's different chair shapes. Short backs pull seat seams upwards, misplaced pockets tear at the legs, and loose hems catch under feet. Thin stretch fabric can reveal dark upholstery, while weak elastic leaves baggy covers after washing.
Bulk colour differences become visible when chairs are arranged together. Washing can shrink woven covers or leave stretch covers distorted. Keep an approved sample, test the intended laundering process and compare arrival stock with it before putting the covers into service.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on banquet chair covers from China?
The chair-cover lines shown under heading 6304 carry 12% duty from China, with no listed trade remedies or suspensions.
Do banquet chair covers need fire testing?
Confirm the intended use and scope. Ask the relevant authority whether loose and stretch furniture covers fall within the furniture fire rules discussed in the reference guide; agree venue fire performance criteria and matching evidence before ordering.
Will a universal chair cover fit my banquet chairs?
Do not rely on that description. Fit a sample to each chair shape you use, checking the back, seat seams, leg pockets and hem clearance, then repeat after laundering.
What labels should textile chair covers have?
The label must show fibre content. Check that it matches the supplied fabric, and agree care instructions suited to your laundering process.