Sourcing uncarded camel hair from China

Duty and treatment status

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, uncarded or uncombed camel hair under 5102 19 40 00 carries 0% duty from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches veterinary and CITES import and export controls. The table shows product variants sharing this commodity line; it does not establish their import eligibility.

Qualifying treated hair can be imported into Great Britain from any country without a health certificate or veterinary checks. Confirm commercial-document requirements with APHA, including whether the document should identify the consignor, consignee, origin, quantity, species and treatment. For untreated Chinese hair, ask your customs broker and APHA to confirm origin eligibility and the required documents before shipment. Check the actual species: listed CITES species require the appropriate permit arrangements.

Heading 5102 covers animal hair that is not carded or combed. Washing and removing guard hair should be described separately from carding or combing. Confirm the commodity code using the supplier's processing description. See the wider animal hair guide for related fibres.

Specify camel fibre and its processing

Specify whether you want fine undercoat, hair containing guard fibres, or material with guard hair removed. Record species, origin, natural colour, mean fibre diameter and its variation, length distribution, residual guard hair, vegetable matter and moisture. Agree the sampling method and retain an approved sample.

Ask the processor to describe washing, treatment and any mechanical processing for the actual lot. A soft sample does not establish treatment status. Agree bale identification, packing and the weight basis for settlement. When fibre becomes garments, confirm applicable fibre-name and composition-percentage labelling requirements with Trading Standards.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A baled lot of factory-washed uncarded camel hair for a small spinning business; illustrative order under 5102 19 40 00, invoiced at £50,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £51,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £51,800, so it is £10,360. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare representative bale samples with the approved sample and arrange fibre identification to check for wool, yak hair or other undeclared fibres.

Fineness and guard hair: measure diameter and length against the contract, and check residual coarse fibres rather than judging softness by hand.

Weight and condition: check moisture, conditioned weight, bale marks, wrapping, damp patches and contamination on arrival.

Traceability: match lot marks to the packing list and treatment document; resolve any mismatch before accepting the lot.

What goes wrong

Residual guard hair makes camel fibre harsher than the sample. Undeclared blending, short fibres and uneven colour can change spinning performance or the appearance of finished cloth. Excess moisture increases invoiced weight, while damp packing can leave stained or musty fibre.

Another failure is confusing uncarded with untreated: the terms describe different aspects of the goods. Obtain the lot's processing record before shipping and confirm the veterinary route. A tariff CITES flag also needs a species check; it does not establish that every camel-hair shipment needs the same documents.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.