Sourcing viscose and modal spun yarn from China
Yarn spun from artificial staple fibres from China, viscose, modal and lyocell, pure or blended with cotton or wool, and not put up for retail sale, pays 0% UK duty on all five lines of heading 5510, with no anti-dumping duty. Knitters and weavers check count, twist, evenness, hairiness, blend ratio and cone packing.
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0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 5510 covers yarn, other than sewing thread, of artificial staple fibres, not put up for retail sale, split by content and by the main blending fibre. All five lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
The staple fibre itself is covered in our viscose staple fibre guide, and fabrics in our viscose and rayon fabrics guide; confirm the commodity code from the blend.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single yarn of artificial staple fibres, 85% or more | 5510 11 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Multiple or cabled yarn of artificial staple fibres, 85% or more | 5510 12 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other yarn, mixed mainly with wool or fine animal hair | 5510 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other yarn, mixed mainly with cotton | 5510 30 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other yarn of artificial staple fibres | 5510 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying yarn
Specify fibre and blend ratio, count, single or plied, twist direction and level, spinning system (ring, compact, open-end or vortex), evenness and imperfections, hairiness, strength and elongation, and cone weight and dyeing tube type if the yarn will be package dyed.
Garments made from the yarn and sold to consumers need fibre composition labels, so the blend ratio must be tested and stated accurately.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of 30s viscose ring-spun yarn on cones under 5510 11 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,800, so it is £3,360. 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
Testing: check count, twist, evenness and strength on sample cones against the certificate.
Blend: test the fibre composition for blended yarns.
Packing: check cone weights, labels by lot, and cartons or pallets protected from moisture. See our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Yarn orders fail on count, evenness and lot mixing. Count drifts, thick and thin places show as barré in the fabric, lots are mixed within a shipment, and the blend ratio differs from the label.
Cambridge China Bridge sources yarns for UK knitters and weavers from small lots, with sample cones approved first; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on viscose yarn from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, all five lines of heading 5510 carried 0% from China.
Is modal and lyocell yarn in heading 5510?
Yes, when spun from artificial staple fibres and not put up for retail sale.
What causes barré in knitted fabric?
Usually count variation or mixed lots of yarn; keep one lot per order and test evenness.
Does the blend ratio need testing?
Yes. Garments sold to consumers need accurate fibre labels, so test blended yarns.