Sourcing textile lifting slings from China

UK duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 6307 covers other made-up textile articles. The residual line 6307 90 98 99 carries 6% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. Its listed suspension applies only to specified textile face masks, not lifting slings. The table shows product variants sharing a candidate code, rather than separate tariff lines.

The residual line attaches CITES import and export controls, a torture-goods import prohibition and an export restriction. For a sling containing a CITES-listed species, check permits with the relevant authorities in Britain and China. For the torture-goods measures, the importer should confirm applicability with their customs broker before shipment.

Confirm the finished construction, fibre material and function using finding your commodity code. Do not classify a sling from its trade name alone. For the wider heading and cargo-restraint products, see ratchet tie-down straps.

Specify the load and sling construction

Describe the load, attachment points, lifting arrangement and working environment. Specify flat webbing or round construction, fibre material, effective length, width where relevant, eye dimensions, reinforcement and protective sleeves. Ask the manufacturer to identify the suitable rating for the proposed arrangement rather than choosing by colour.

Before approving production, obtain the proposed labels, declaration of conformity, instructions and test reports for the exact construction. HSE says lifting accessories need appropriate conformity assessment, labelling and a declaration of conformity before market placement or use. Agree how the factory will connect production batches to those documents and arrange testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed batch of woven lifting slings for a lifting-equipment distributor under 6307 90 98 99, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,800. Duty at 6% is £588. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,388, so it is £2,077.60. Import taxes total £2,665.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £588 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identification: match the sling model and batch identification to the order, labels and supporting documents. Lifting equipment, including accessories, must be clearly marked with its safe working load.

Construction: inspect webbing, eye reinforcement and stitching for cuts, abrasion, loose threads, skipped stitches and uneven assembly. On round slings, check the cover and seam for damage.

Dimensions: measure effective length, webbing width and eye openings against the approved specification. Check that protective sleeves fit the agreed contact areas.

Evidence: compare bulk construction with the tested sample and check that reports identify the supplied design. Use quality inspection to check workmanship and document matching; visual checks alone do not demonstrate lifting capacity.

What goes wrong

A supplier may substitute yarn, alter stitching or send a report for a different sling. Labels can be difficult to read or detached, while protective covers can conceal damage. Hold affected stock apart from accepted goods until the construction and supporting evidence have been checked.

A cargo-restraint strap quotation can also be mistaken for a lifting-sling quotation. State the lifting function explicitly and compare the approved load arrangement, material and construction, not just appearance or a claimed breaking strength.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.