Sourcing uncarded llama fibre from China
Uncarded llama fibre from China carries 0% UK duty, with no duty variation within the relevant line. Treatment status determines the animal by-product import route: qualifying treated hair can come from any country, but untreated lots need separate checks. Cambridge China Bridge sources uncarded llama fibre.
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Duty and treatment status
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 5102 covers animal hair that is not carded or combed. Llama fibre falls under 5102 19 30 00, shared with alpaca and vicuña, at 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows buying forms within this shared line, rather than separate commodity codes.
The tariff attaches veterinary control and CITES import and export controls. Qualifying treated hair can be imported into Great Britain from any country without a health certificate or veterinary checks. Ask APHA or your customs broker to confirm commercial-document requirements, including details of the consignor, consignee, origin, quantity, species and treatment. For untreated Chinese lots, have your customs broker confirm admissibility and veterinary requirements with APHA before ordering. Have the broker confirm how the attached CITES controls apply to the documented species.
Factory washing and carding are different processes. Ask for the treatment record and confirmation that the fibre remains neither carded nor combed, then confirm the commodity code. For the shared product family, see the uncarded alpaca fibre guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factory-washed llama fibre, not carded or combed | 5102 19 30 00 | 0% | None |
Specify llama fibre by lot
Write llama explicitly in the purchase specification rather than accepting a generic camelid description. Agree mean fibre diameter and its variation, fibre length, residual guard hair, vegetable matter, colour and moisture. State whether the lot is washed, colour-sorted or dehaired, and confirm that any dehairing process has not produced carded or combed material.
Approve a representative lot sample and retain it for comparison. Agree sampling across bales and the weight basis for payment. Ask for the factory-washing record rather than accepting a description such as clean fibre. Qualifying treated hair can be sold without animal by-product restrictions on treated wool and hair; this does not establish the accuracy of a composition claim.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 180 kg of factory-washed uncarded llama fibre under 5102 19 30 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,500, so it is £900. 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 the lot documents and laboratory fibre identification with the agreed llama specification; check for undeclared sheep wool or other animal fibre.
Guard hair and length: measure fibre diameter and length on samples across bales, then compare coarse hair and short-fibre content with the approved sample.
Cleanliness and colour: check vegetable matter, residual grease, colour variation and odour; run a processing trial before accepting the lot for spinning or felting.
Weight and paperwork: check moisture, bale weights, marks and wrapping against the packing list; match the species and treatment document to the actual lot.
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What goes wrong
An attractive surface sample can hide coarse guard hair, short fibres or uneven colour inside the bales. Excess moisture inflates purchased weight, while damp wrapping can conceal deterioration. Agree how failed bales will be sampled and resolved before shipment, and use quality inspection to define the checks.
Uncarded does not mean untreated, and washed does not by itself prove qualifying treatment. Missing treatment evidence can undermine the intended import route. Do not accept untreated material on the assumption that zero duty means unrestricted entry; resolve its veterinary route and the shared line's CITES controls before dispatch.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on uncarded llama fibre from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% under 5102 19 30 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Veterinary and CITES controls are attached to the line.
Can washed llama fibre still be uncarded?
Yes. Washing concerns treatment and cleanliness; carding or combing concerns fibre preparation. Obtain the treatment record and confirm the processing stage before choosing the code.
Can I import untreated llama fibre from China?
Do not assume it is admissible. The tariff attaches veterinary control. Ask your customs broker to confirm the Chinese origin, destination and current import requirements with APHA before ordering.
How do I check llama fibre quality before shipment?
Sample across bales, verify fibre identity, measure diameter and length, and check guard hair, vegetable matter, colour and moisture against the agreed specification and retained sample.