Sourcing women's knit peasant blouses from China

A flat 12% duty for heading 6106

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 October 2026, heading 6106 covers women's or girls' knitted or crocheted blouses, shirts and shirt-blouses. This guide focuses on women's knitted peasant blouses with loose bodies, gathered necklines and full sleeves. All listed commodity lines carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to the wool or fine animal hair line and the other textile materials line. CITES specimens need an import permit. For a proposed blouse containing listed material, confirm the species and required import or export paperwork with your customs broker before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using fabric construction, fibre composition and a finished sample. Ask the broker to assess the neckline fastening and any tightening at the hem rather than relying on the name 'peasant blouse'. See the wider knitted tops and shirts guide for related garments.

Specify the gathers, neckline and sleeve shape

Specify the knitted fabric, fibre blend, weight, opacity and finish against an approved sample. Record neckline shape, relaxed and stretched opening measurements, gathering positions, sleeve fullness, cuff construction and body length for every size. Identify whether ties are functional or decorative. Approve embroidery backing and lace attachment so they do not distort the knit or scratch the skin.

Fibre labels must show fibre content; confirm the permitted fibre names with the relevant authority. Importers must demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. Keep the approved label artwork and test evidence matched to the production fabric, trims and colours. Agree wash, colour transfer and trim attachment checks before bulk production; use testing and certification support to define the testing brief.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 women's cotton knitted peasant blouses; FOB value and freight are illustrative, not a quotation. under 6106 10 00 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,700. Duty at 12% is £924. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,624, so it is £1,724.80. Import taxes total £2,648.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £924 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit and gathers: measure every size against the approved chart; check neckline coverage, even gathering, sleeve volume and cuff comfort on a fitted sample.

Elastic and ties: stretch the neckline and cuffs, check recovery, inspect elastic joins and channels, and pull-check tie attachments and decorative trims against the agreed method.

Fabric and washing: compare shade across cartons, check opacity under daylight and shop lighting, and wash finished samples for shrinkage, seam twist, neckline growth and embroidery puckering.

Labels and make-up: compare fibre labels with composition evidence; check skipped stitches, seam holes, lace edges and packing by size and colour. Agree the scope of the quality inspection before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A loose body can hide a neckline that slips off the shoulders or cuffs that feel tight. Uneven gathering makes sleeves look different, weak elastic loses recovery, and tie ends can pull out of thin jersey. Compare the approved sample with production garments both before and after washing.

Light knits can become sheer when stretched across the bust, while embroidery and lace can pull the surrounding fabric into ripples. Check opacity on a fitted garment and inspect the reverse of decorated areas. On arrival, compare samples from different cartons before releasing the stock.

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.