Sourcing women's Hawaiian shirts from China

A flat 12% duty across the fibre categories

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6206 covers women's or girls' woven blouses, shirts and shirt-blouses. The supplied lines all carry 12% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspensions recorded. This guide focuses on women's woven Hawaiian shirts.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to 6206 20 00 00 and 6206 90 90 00. CITES specimens require an import permit for Great Britain. If considering these material categories, identify the material and ask your customs broker to confirm whether CITES applies and which documents the shipment from China needs.

Confirm the fibre composition and construction using the commodity code guide. A tropical print alone does not describe the fabric. See the women's blouses and shirts guide for the wider heading.

Specify the tropical print, collar and fit

Specify the woven fabric, fibre composition, weight, handle and opacity. Approve the tropical artwork, repeat size, direction and colours on the actual fabric. State whether motifs must match across the front opening or pocket, and approve their placement on each size. Define the open collar shape, sleeve opening, hem, buttons and chest ease against a measurement chart.

Fibre labels must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Products supplied to consumers in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Agree checks for secure buttons, sharp trim edges and fabric performance; retain the approved sample and test results with the order records.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order, not a quotation: 1,000 women's woven cotton Hawaiian shirts under 6206 30 00 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,600. Duty at 12% is £552. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,152, so it is £1,030.40. Import taxes total £1,582.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £552 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Print: compare bulk shirts with the approved fabric sample for shade, repeat direction, blurred edges and motif placement at the opening and pocket.

Fabric: check fibre composition against the label, opacity and handle. Wash samples using the agreed care method and check shrinkage, colour bleeding and seam slippage.

Fit and construction: measure chest, length and sleeves across sizes. Check collar symmetry, buttonholes, button attachment, seam puckering and loose threads.

Arrival: check for dampness, mould, stains and incorrect size labels. Reconcile the colour and size breakdown with the packing list. Use the inspection guide to agree the checks before shipment.

What goes wrong

Print approval can fail when the factory shows artwork on a screen but the bulk fabric changes its colour or scale. Motifs may be cut through at the front or placed differently on larger sizes. Use an approved fabric sample and written placement instructions, including whether pocket matching is part of the order.

A loose fit can become tight after washing, while dark tropical prints can bleed onto pale areas. Collar points may curl and seams may pucker on light fabric. Check washed samples as well as unwashed garments, and agree acceptance limits before cutting bulk fabric.

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.