Sourcing textile chef toques from China

UK duty on textile chef toques

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6505 covers knitted or crocheted headgear and headgear made up from textile fabric, whether lined or trimmed. Ordinary fabric chef toques fall within the other-headgear line, 6505 00 90 90, at 2% duty from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded. The 0.00 % suspension attached to this line applies only to disposable hair nets, not reusable fabric toques.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls to this line. Cat and dog fur and products made from it are banned from import. CITES specimens need an import permit. For seal-product requirements on goods from China, confirm with your customs broker before ordering. Specify the materials of every trim rather than relying on the supplier's description of the fabric.

The table shows product variants sharing the same tariff line, not separate classifications. Send fabric composition, construction details and photographs to your broker to confirm the commodity code. The cotton bucket hats guide covers the wider textile-headgear category. Use the import duty and VAT guide for the calculation method.

Specify the crown, headband and wash performance

Specify fibre composition, fabric weight, weave, crown height, pleat layout and the stiffness needed to hold the crown upright. Define the adjustable head-circumference range, fastening position, sweatband material and ventilation panels. Approve a finished sample worn by kitchen staff, including any embroidered logo, before authorising production.

Textile products need a fibre composition label. Use a durable, easily legible label and confirm any alternative marking with Trading Standards. Check the label against the actual fabric. Agree washing and drying instructions with the supplier, then trial the sample through your intended laundry process. Assess shrinkage, crown collapse, seam twisting and fastening performance after washing.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,500 reusable textile chef toques; illustrative order, with FOB and freight in whole pounds under 6505 00 90 90, invoiced at £7,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,400. Duty at 2% is £168. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,568, so it is £1,713.60. Import taxes total £1,881.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £168 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit and shape: measure the crown and adjustable headband against the approved specification; check pleat symmetry and whether the crown stays upright.

Fabric and labels: compare fabric, shade and fibre labels with the approved sample; check sweatbands for colour transfer and labels for legibility after washing.

Seams and fastenings: check skipped stitches, loose threads and sharp edges; operate the adjustment repeatedly and check that stitching holds the fastening securely.

Laundry and packing: wash sampled toques using the agreed process; check shrinkage and shape, then inspect arrival cartons for dampness, staining and crushed crowns. Record findings using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A toque can look correct in a supplier photograph but fit poorly when worn. Short adjustment overlap leaves the band insecure, stiff seams rub the forehead, and uneven pleats make the crown lean. Check fit on the approved sample and compare production pieces with it.

Laundry exposes weak interlining, differential shrinkage and loose fastening stitching. White fabric can arrive with shade differences, oil marks or coloured embroidery bleeding into it. Approve the laundry trial and packing method before bulk production, and keep a reference sample for arrival checks.

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.