Sourcing Textile Roller Blinds from China

UK duty on textile roller blinds

Heading 6303 covers textile curtains and interior blinds, including textile roller blinds. Classification depends on fibre material and whether the fabric is knitted, nonwoven or otherwise constructed. These rows are candidates for textile roller blinds, rather than a classification based solely on the product name. See the wider curtains and blinds guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the listed nonwoven lines carry 6% duty on goods from China; the other listed lines carry 12%. The supplied tariff snapshot records no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.

Give your customs broker the fibre composition, fabric construction and details of coatings and the complete assembly. Confirm the commodity code before ordering, particularly where a heavily coated fabric or a different blind material may change classification.

Specify the fabric and complete roller assembly

Specify fabric width separately from overall bracket-to-bracket width, finished drop, recess or face fixing, roll direction and operating side. Agree fibre composition, colour, backing, blackout or dim-out performance and cleaning method. Approve a complete mounted sample so that edge light gaps, fabric curl and the bottom bar can be assessed together.

Set out the tube, clutch or spring mechanism, brackets, bottom bar and fixing pack. New blinds with looped cords must have child safety devices installed during manufacture or supplied with the blind. Ask for matching warnings, installation instructions and safety test evidence for the actual assembly. Textile labels must show fibre content.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 800 woven polyester roller blinds, illustrative order under 6303 92 90 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

Dimensions: check fabric width, overall assembly width and usable drop against the order schedule. Mount samples with the supplied brackets and confirm clearance and fixing compatibility.

Fabric: compare shade and backing with the approved sample, examine coating marks and edge fraying, and assess blackout or dim-out performance with light behind the mounted blind.

Mechanism: raise and lower the blind, check that fabric tracks straight, and confirm that the clutch holds position and the bottom bar remains secure.

Safety and packing: check fibre labels, cord or chain safety devices, warnings and installation instructions. Inspect tubes for dents and confirm that brackets and fixings are present. Record findings through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A factory may quote fabric width while the buyer expects overall fitting width, leaving the assembly too wide for the recess. Fabric can wind sideways, rub on brackets or hang with curled edges. A blackout fabric sample can also give a misleading impression if the fitted blind leaves light gaps around its edges.

A working display sample does not establish that the shipment has matching mechanisms or safety packs. Compare production assemblies with the approved sample, open packs to check their contents and retain photographs of labels and safety devices. Agree protective packing for tubes and bottom bars before dispatch.

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.