Sourcing women's tie-front blouses from China

A flat 12% under 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. All listed fibre categories carry 12% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension recorded. The table applies to tie-front blouses confirmed within this heading.

The snapshot attaches CITES import and export controls to 6106 90 10 00 and 6106 90 90 00. If a blouse contains material from a CITES-listed species, an import permit is required. For a shipment from China, confirm the species, applicable restrictions and documentation with your customs broker before ordering; the tariff flag alone does not establish which documents your garment needs.

Send the broker the fibre composition, knit details, garment photographs and a sample showing the tie fastened. Ask specifically whether it tightens the bottom of the garment. Confirm the commodity code before using these rates. Our knitted peasant blouse guide covers another blouse family within the wider heading.

Specify the front tie and coverage

Define whether the tie closes the front opening or provides decoration, where it attaches, its finished length and width, and the reinforcement at its roots. Approve the tied position on a fit sample, including neckline depth, front overlap and coverage when the wearer reaches or sits. Ask the broker to review any design that gathers the lower edge.

Specify fibre composition, knit structure, fabric weight, stretch recovery, opacity and the finished size chart. Record whether measurements are taken tied or untied. Agree wash instructions and acceptable changes in body length, tie length and seam alignment. Confirm the appropriate fibre names for labels with Trading Standards; check viscose, modal and elastane descriptions against the actual fabric.

Confirm with the relevant authority whether UK REACH restrictions on azo dyes that can release listed aromatic amines apply to the fabric and ties, particularly for textiles in prolonged skin contact. Request colour-specific evidence for the production fabric and ties. Match reports to the material and colour supplied.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 women's cotton knitted tie-front blouses 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

Ties: check attachment reinforcement, matching lengths, finished ends and resistance to seam opening during repeated tying. Compare the knot and front opening with the approved sample.

Fit: measure the body, sleeves and ties against the agreed chart. Check front overlap and coverage with the tie fastened across the ordered sizes.

Fabric: compare shade across garments and ties, inspect opacity under daylight and shop lighting, and check pilling, colour transfer and seam puckering.

Wash and labels: wash finished samples to the agreed instructions, then check shrinkage, twisting, tie curling and neckline distortion. Check that the fibre label is present and matches the agreed composition. Use quality inspection to document arrival defects against the approved sample.

What goes wrong

Narrow jersey ties can curl into cords, stretch unevenly or tear at an unreinforced attachment. A sample may cover the front when standing but gape when sitting or reaching. Test the tied garment in movement and after washing, then settle the tie pattern and attachment method before bulk cutting.

A replacement fabric can change the knot, drape and opacity even when its colour looks similar. Keep an approved fabric reference and finished garment for comparison. For customs, do not select the code from the phrase 'tie-front blouse': ask the broker to review the actual fastening and any tightening at the lower edge.

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.