Sourcing women's woven duffle coats from China

UK duty on women's woven duffle coats

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6202 covers women's or girls' overcoats and similar outerwear. This guide focuses on women's woven duffle coats with toggle fastenings. The relevant lines all carry 12% duty for goods from China, so there is no variation in the duty range. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. For wrap coat sourcing, see women's woven wrap coats.

The tariff attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur and an import control on seal products. Imports and exports of cat and dog fur, including products made from it, are banned. Seal products brought into Great Britain for trade need a seal catch certificate. Before ordering any seal trim from China, ask your customs broker to confirm exemption eligibility and the required declaration documents.

Confirm the commodity code using the outer fabric composition and a finished sample. Cotton and man-made fibre lines distinguish garments not exceeding 1 kg from heavier garments. Do not choose a wool line merely because the supplier calls a blend wool-rich. See the related men's woven duffle coat guide and the duty and VAT guide.

Specify the fabric, women's fit and toggles

Specify the shell fibre blend, fabric weight, weave, brushed finish, colour and lining. Define bust, hip, shoulder, sleeve and back-length measurements with agreed tolerances and room for a jumper underneath. Approve the hood shape, pocket placement, toggle spacing, loop length and any concealed zip. Identify whether toggles, loops and attachment patches are wood, horn, leather or synthetic material.

Fibre composition labelling is required. Ask Trading Standards to confirm the animal-origin label wording for leather attachment patches or loops. Match the artwork to the actual materials and agree care instructions after cleaning trials on finished samples. Retain the approved garment and material list so substitutions can be identified.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 women's woven wool duffle coats; illustrative order, FOB value and freight under 6202 20 00 19, invoiced at £33,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £36,000. Duty at 12% is £4,320. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £40,320, so it is £8,064. Import taxes total £12,384; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £4,320 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric: compare composition evidence, colour, thickness and handle with the approved sample. Check pilling, shedding and colour transfer onto light clothing.

Fastenings: pull-check toggle attachments and loop stitching, operate the closures repeatedly, and check for sharp edges, cracked toggles and peeling attachment patches.

Fit and construction: measure each size against the agreed chart. Check front alignment, sleeve movement, hood balance, pocket reinforcement and lining tension during inspection.

Labels and arrival: verify fibre and animal-origin wording against the material list. Check care-label legibility, size assortments, damp cartons, mould and crushing of the brushed fabric.

What goes wrong

A sample can feel dense while production fabric feels thin or pills quickly. Short loops make toggles difficult to close over winter layers; weak attachment stitching tears the front panel. A lining cut too tightly restricts movement even when the shell measurements pass. Compare production garments with the approved sample and repeat the agreed cleaning and fastening checks.

Cleaning can distort the hood, shrink the shell or leave the lining hanging below the hem. Leather patches may bleed or harden. Record affected batches and investigate repeated fastening failures. Importers remain responsible for product safety after sale, so keep a complaint record alongside inspection findings.

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.