Sourcing women's knitted skorts from China
Women's knitted skorts from China carry 12% UK duty across the relevant skirt and shorts lines, with no duty variation among those lines. Fibre composition labelling is required for sale in Great Britain. Confirm the code against the finished construction. Cambridge China Bridge sources women's knitted skorts.
UK duty and skort classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6104 covers women's and girls' knitted or crocheted garments, including skirts, divided skirts and shorts other than swimwear. The table gives candidate skirt and shorts lines for cotton and synthetic-fibre skorts. Ask your broker to assess the skirt overlay, attached shorts and fabric composition before selecting a line.
The relevant lines carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension recorded. The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal product controls. Cat and dog fur products cannot be imported or exported. Seal products for sale in Great Britain must have a seal catch certificate; confirm applicable eligibility and exemption requirements, including the Inuit and other indigenous communities exemption, with the relevant authority or your customs broker. For any animal-derived trim from China, ask your broker to confirm eligibility and documents.
Wool, fine animal hair and other textile-material lines also carry CITES controls; confirm species and applicable permits before ordering any listed animal material. Confirm the commodity code using a finished sample and fabric specification. For the wider skirt family, see women's knitted tennis skirts. For related sportswear, see our guide to sourcing knitted netball dresses. For sports accessories, see our guide to knitted wrist sweatbands.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic-fibre knitted skirts and divided skirts | 6104 53 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Cotton knitted skirts and divided skirts | 6104 52 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Synthetic-fibre knitted shorts | 6104 63 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Cotton knitted shorts | 6104 62 00 00 | 12% | None |
Specify the skirt overlay and attached shorts
Define whether the skort has a full skirt over attached shorts or a front wrap panel. Specify outer and inner fabric composition, fabric weight, stretch direction and recovery. Record skirt length, shorts inseam, rise, leg opening, waistband construction, gusset and pocket position, with measurement tolerances for every size.
For sale in Great Britain, the garment needs a fibre composition label. Where components have different fibre contents, their contents must be shown. Agree the wording against the outer skirt and inner shorts fabric records. Specify care instructions, colourfastness, pilling and washing acceptance criteria as purchasing requirements. Approve movement samples for sitting, bending and walking before bulk production.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 women's synthetic-fibre knitted skorts, assuming this code is confirmed; FOB value and freight are illustrative. under 6104 53 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 coverage: measure waist, hip, rise, skirt length and shorts inseam against the size chart. Check that the overlay lies flat and the inner shorts do not pull the skirt upwards.
Stretch and seams: stretch the waistband and leg openings, check recovery and inspect crotch, gusset and overlay attachment seams for skipped stitches, broken thread and bulky edges.
Washing and colour: wash production samples by the agreed care method. Compare dimensions, seam twist, colour transfer and skirt-to-shorts shade matching before and after washing.
Labels and packing: match fibre wording, size labels and carton contents to the approved records. Check finished garments on arrival using the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
The skirt can fit while the attached shorts are too tight or too short. Different stretch or shrinkage between layers can make the overlay curl, expose the shorts or pull at the waistband. Poor crotch seams can rub, and an unsupported pocket can drag the inner leg down.
A supplier may describe every style simply as a skirt, leaving the construction unclear for customs. Keep an approved finished sample, photographs of the inside and separate fabric records for both layers. Resolve substitutions and fit failures before shipment, then repeat the agreed checks on arrival.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on women's knitted skorts from China?
The relevant cotton and synthetic-fibre skirt and shorts lines carry 12% duty. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension. Confirm the finished garment's code.
Are knitted skorts classified as skirts or shorts?
Send your broker a finished sample, inside photographs and both fabric specifications. Ask them to assess the overlay and attached shorts; use the table as candidate lines rather than a confirmed classification.
Do the skirt and inner shorts need separate fibre information?
Where components have different fibre contents, their contents must be shown. Check the proposed label against the actual fabrics used for the outer skirt and inner shorts.
How do I check whether the inner shorts ride up?
Approve a movement sample in each size. Check rise, inseam, leg opening and waistband tension during walking, sitting and bending, then repeat after washing by the agreed care method.