Sourcing waxed cotton fabric from China

UK duty on wax-coated cotton fabric

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, heading 5907 covers textile fabrics otherwise impregnated, coated or covered, and painted scenery canvas. This guide concerns wax-coated cotton fabric supplied as fabric, rather than finished jackets or bags. The table shows different buying specifications under the same tariff line, subject to classification confirmation.

For goods from China, 5907 00 00 90 carries 4% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, suspension or attached import control for that line. The 0% suspension on the embedded-sphere line concerns a different fabric construction. See the wider coated fabric guide.

Send your broker the fibre composition, wax formulation, coating description, intended use and a sample to confirm the commodity code. The coating matters: the published background guide places plastic-coated fabrics in heading 5903 and rubberised fabrics in 5906. Use the duty and VAT guide when preparing the landed-cost calculation.

Specify the cotton base and wax finish

Specify cotton fibre composition, weave, usable width, fabric mass before and after waxing, colour and wax formulation. Agree whether the surface should feel dry or oily, how much crease marking is acceptable, and the intended use. Keep a signed sample showing the agreed appearance and handle.

Define the water-resistance test and acceptance criteria, then repeat it after agreed flexing and abrasion. Ask the factory for care and re-waxing instructions, and test a sewn sample for needle marks, seam leakage and transfer onto lining fabric.

For sale in Great Britain, textile labels must show fibre content. REACH restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on substances placed on the market or used. Ask for the dye and finish composition and arrange checks against applicable restrictions for the intended use through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,800 metres of wax-coated cotton fabric in rolls under 5907 00 00 90, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £15,200. Duty at 4% is £608. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £15,808, so it is £3,161.60. Import taxes total £3,769.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £608 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Base cloth: check fibre composition, weave, usable width and mass against the specification; inspect for holes, weaving faults and distorted edges.

Wax finish: compare coating mass and handle with the approved sample; inspect for dry patches, wax pooling, tackiness and uneven crease marking.

Colour and performance: check shade across and between rolls, rub against the proposed lining, and repeat the agreed water-resistance test after flexing.

Rolls and records: check measured length, batch identification, fibre information and care instructions; inspect wrapping for moisture and sample inner layers for sticking or staining.

What goes wrong

A heavily waxed approval sample can hide a lighter bulk finish. Uneven application can leave dry areas that wet through and oily areas that mark linings. A finish that looks right when cool may become tacky in warm storage. Compare bulk samples with the retained reference after the same conditioning.

Separate the intended worn appearance from defects: agree acceptable crease marks and wax bloom before production. Check warm-storage transfer, sewing behaviour and water resistance on the actual bulk fabric. Record failures by roll and batch before cutting.

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.