Sourcing women's knitted petticoats from China

UK duty on women's knitted petticoats

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6108 covers women's or girls' knitted or crocheted underwear, nightwear and similar articles. This guide covers women's petticoats: man-made fibres under 6108 11 00 00 and other textile materials under 6108 19 00 00. Short and long styles share these codes; the table repeats them to show buying variants. For nightwear sourcing, see our women's knitted nightdresses guide. For robes, see our sourcing guide to women's knitted dressing gowns.

Both petticoat lines carry 12% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. Import VAT is normally 20%; see the duty and VAT guide for the calculation.

Confirm the commodity code using the garment construction and fibre composition before shipment. The women's knitted briefs guide covers another product family within the wider heading. For bloomers, see our women's knitted bloomers sourcing guide. For reusable period underwear, see our period pants sourcing guide. For camiknickers, see our women's knitted camiknickers sourcing guide.

Specify length, opacity and waistband recovery

Define the intended outer skirt, finished petticoat length, waist and hip measurements, hem sweep and any slit. Agree the knit construction, fibre blend, fabric weight, colour and surface finish. Approve a sample worn beneath the intended outer garment to assess cling, visibility and freedom of movement. For full-length underlayers, see our women's knitted full slips guide.

Set waistband stretch and recovery expectations against an approved sample. Agree seam placement, elastic attachment, lace softness and hem finish. In Great Britain, the label must show fibre content. Importers are responsible for ensuring consumer products are safe and follow applicable labelling requirements.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,000 women's knitted petticoats under 6108 11 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,200. Duty at 12% is £2,304. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,504, so it is £4,300.80. Import taxes total £6,604.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,304 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure waist, hip, skirt length and hem sweep against the approved specification; check that the slit permits movement without exposing more than intended.

Waistband: stretch and release the elastic, checking recovery, twisting and attachment; inspect seams for broken stitches and skin-facing rough edges.

Fabric: compare shades and opacity with the approved sample, test colour transfer and assess static cling beneath the intended outer garment.

Wash and labels: wash according to the agreed care instructions, then check shrinkage, hem curling and elastic recovery; verify fibre labels and size packing at inspection.

What goes wrong

A sample can hang smoothly while bulk fabric clings, becomes transparent under light or catches on the outer skirt. Elastic can lose recovery, and a narrow hem can restrict walking. Approve the finished garment beneath the intended skirt and compare bulk production with that sample.

Washing can shorten the petticoat, curl the hem or twist the waistband. Incorrect fibre labels and mixed size packing create further problems. Agree acceptance criteria before production and inspect washed garments alongside unwashed samples.

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.