Sourcing graduation mortarboards from China

UK duty on textile graduation mortarboards

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6505 covers knitted or crocheted headgear and headgear made up from textile fabric, including felt. Ordinary textile graduation mortarboards are candidates for 6505 00 90 90 at 2% duty from China. The supplied data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Its suspension applies only to disposable hair nets, not mortarboards. The table shows buying variants under the same candidate code.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat-and-dog-fur and seal-product import controls. For goods from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the declarations or documents required for the actual materials. Species listed in the specified CITES annexes require permits. The tariff also flags CITES and cat-and-dog-fur export controls and a torture-and-repression export restriction; confirm their applicability before onward export.

Confirm the commodity code using the finished cap's fabric, construction and any animal-derived trim. Fur-felt constructions can fall under a different line carrying 4%. See the caps and hats guide for the wider heading.

Specify the square board, crown and tassel

Specify the covering fabric and fibre composition, board material and stiffness, square dimensions, corner shape, crown depth and head circumference range. State whether the crown is fitted or elasticated. Approve a physical sample worn on the head, with the board sitting level and the intended gown colour alongside it.

Agree tassel colour, cord length, attachment method and whether tassels arrive fitted or packed separately. Specify lining, sweatband, stitching and packing supports. Textile hats need fibre composition labels; confirm any durability and legibility requirements with the relevant authority and check the labels against the fabric specification. Businesses importing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety, so assess exposed board edges, sharp fittings and loose attachments.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 900 textile graduation mortarboards, illustrative only under 6505 00 90 90, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,900. Duty at 2% is £198. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,098, so it is £2,019.60. Import taxes total £2,217.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £198 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Board and covering: check flatness, square shape, corner symmetry, fabric tension and glue marks against the approved sample.

Fit and seams: measure crown depth and head circumference, trial the elastic recovery and check the crown-to-board seam for loose stitches.

Tassel and colour: check colour against the gown sample, attachment security, cord finish and colour transfer from the sweatband.

Labels and packing: check fibre information, size identification, tassel inclusion and carton contents; unpack arrival samples to check crushed corners and moisture damage. Agree these checks through the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A soft or damp board can bow, while tight wrapping can bend corners. Uneven fabric tension leaves wrinkles across the square top. A shallow crown sits poorly, weak elastic slips, and a loosely fixed button or cord lets the tassel detach.

Keep an approved sample showing the finished cap and its packing. Check production pieces against it before dispatch and repeat the shape, fit and tassel checks on arrival. For caps intended for reuse, agree a cleaning trial with the supplier and check that the board and covering retain their shape.

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.