Sourcing knitted tennis dresses from China
Women's knitted tennis dresses from China carry a uniform 12% UK duty across the dress lines, with no recorded trade remedies or suspensions. Fibre composition labelling is required in Great Britain. Specify stretch recovery, coverage during movement and the construction of any inner shorts. Cambridge China Bridge sources women's knitted tennis dresses.
UK duty on knitted tennis dresses
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6104 covers women's or girls' knitted or crocheted garments, including dresses. All dress lines carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing measures or suspensions. This guide focuses on women's knitted tennis dresses.
The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import and export. Seal products are generally banned, with limited exemptions; confirm any proposed animal trim with your customs broker. The other-textile-materials dress line also attaches CITES import and export controls. For any protected-species material, confirm the applicable documents with your broker before ordering.
Confirm the commodity code using the actual garment, fabric construction and fibre composition. Include details of attached or separately supplied inner shorts when requesting classification advice. For related garments within the heading, see women's knitted tennis skirts. For netball garments, see our guide to sourcing knitted netball dresses.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's knitted tennis dresses of synthetic fibres | 6104 43 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Women's knitted tennis dresses of cotton | 6104 42 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Women's knitted tennis dresses of artificial fibres | 6104 44 00 00 | 12% | None |
| Women's knitted tennis dresses of other textile materials | 6104 49 00 00 | 12% | None |
Specify the dress for court movement
Specify the fibre blend, knitted structure, fabric weight, stretch direction and recovery after stretching. Approve opacity with the fabric stretched and damp, particularly for pale colours. Give the factory a graded measurement chart covering bust, waist, hip, armholes and dress length, with agreed tolerances.
Define whether inner shorts are attached or supplied separately, their leg opening, gusset, waistband and ball-pocket position. Check reaching, bending and lateral movement on fit samples. Agree seam construction, lining or support panels, hem shape and logo placement.
Fibre composition labelling is required in Great Britain. Put durable, legible, securely attached composition labels into the specification, as described in our published womenswear guidance. Agree care instructions and size labels with the buyer, then compare the approved wording with production garments.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 women's knitted polyester tennis dresses under 6104 43 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 and coverage: measure sampled dresses across sizes and check armhole gaping, hem ride-up, inner-short exposure and pocket access during movement.
Fabric performance: compare weight and handle with the approved sample; check opacity under stretch, elastic recovery, pilling, and colour transfer from rubbing and perspiration.
Seams and trims: stretch waist, armhole and gusset seams; check broken stitches, chafing points, pocket attachment and logo adhesion after washing.
Labels and arrival: compare fibre and size labels with approved specifications; check quantities, colour consistency, damp packaging and wash-induced twisting. Use the inspection guide to organise the checks.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A dress can fit when standing still but gape at the armholes or ride up during a serve. Pale fabric may become transparent when stretched, while inner shorts can roll at the legs or pull the outer skirt upwards. Reject these problems at sampling rather than accepting a static fit photograph.
Bulk fabric may recover less well than the sample, and sweat can transfer dye onto pale panels. Washing can distort hems, crack logos or expose weak gusset seams. Retain approved samples and inspect production garments before shipment, then repeat key 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. For accompanying sports accessories, see our guide to sourcing knitted sports headbands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on knitted tennis dresses from China?
The supplied tariff data shows 12% across all knitted dress lines, with no recorded anti-dumping or countervailing measures or suspensions.
Do women's tennis dresses need fibre labels?
Yes. In Great Britain, textile products need fibre composition labelling. Agree the wording before production and check it against the fabric specification and test results.
How do I check whether a tennis dress is see-through?
Check production fabric and finished dresses under stretch and when damp, using the intended inner layers. Compare every colour with the approved sample during movement.
What should I specify for built-in shorts?
Define attachment, gusset, waistband, leg opening, stretch recovery and ball-pocket position. Approve movement samples to check rolling, chafing and whether the shorts pull the dress upwards.