Sourcing Textile Vertical Blinds from China

Duty on textile vertical blinds

Heading 6303 covers curtains, interior textile blinds and curtain or bed valances. This guide concerns vertical blinds with textile louvres. Plastic, wood and metal slats are classified by their material rather than as textiles. For the wider heading, see our textile roller blinds guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, nonwoven synthetic and other nonwoven textile blinds carry 6% duty from China; the other listed lines carry 12%. The supplied tariff facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls.

Confirm the commodity code against the fibre composition, fabric construction and goods actually shipped. Describe whether the shipment contains complete blinds or replacement textile louvres, and identify separately supplied hardware for your customs broker.

Specify louvres and the operating system

Agree louvre width, finished drop, overlap, fabric composition, colour and light transmission. State whether dimensions describe the whole blind or the textile louvres. Approve a hanging sample with the intended headrail, carriers, hangers, bottom weights and connecting chains.

Specify the stack side, control side, bracket arrangement and operation. New blinds with looped cords must have child safety devices installed at manufacture or supplied with the blind. Ask for safety devices, warnings, installation instructions and test reports against EN 13120, as described in our published curtains and blinds guide.

Textile labels must show fibre content. For contract projects, agree any buyer-specified fire performance and cleaning durability before choosing the fabric, and request evidence for the exact fabric and finish.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-size batch of complete woven polyester vertical blinds under 6303 92 90 90, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,800. Duty at 12% is £456. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,256, so it is £851.20. Import taxes total £1,307.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £456 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Dimensions: hang the assembled blind and check headrail length, louvre drop, overlap and clearance against the approved window schedule at inspection.

Operation: traverse and rotate the louvres; check carrier alignment, secure hangers, bottom-weight retention and chain connections without snagging.

Fabric: compare shade across neighbouring louvres, inspect cut edges and pockets, and check light transmission and cleaning behaviour against the approved sample.

Safety and packing: check the specified cord or chain safety devices, fibre labels, warnings and instructions. Confirm that headrails are protected and louvres arrive without permanent folds or twisted edges.

What goes wrong

An unclear measurement schedule produces louvres that drag or leave unwanted gaps. Mismatched carriers prevent replacement louvres fitting an existing rail. Uneven hanger positions, twisted fabric and inconsistent bottom weights spoil alignment even when the nominal drop is correct.

A fabric described as blackout may still leave light between louvres and around the blind. Approve the assembled result rather than fabric alone. Missing safety devices or instructions also leave the installer without the intended safety arrangement; check the complete pack before dispatch and again on arrival.

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.