Sourcing women's woven skirts from China

12% duty on the listed woven skirt lines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the supplied skirt and divided-skirt lines within heading 6204 carry 12% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is recorded for these lines. The heading also covers other women's and girls' garments; see the woven wedding dresses guide for another product family within it. For pinafore dress sourcing, see our woven pinafore dresses guide. For occasionwear sourcing, see our woven prom dress sourcing guide. For shorts sourcing, see women's woven shorts sourcing. For jumpsuit sourcing, see our women's woven jumpsuit sourcing guide.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls, with CITES import controls on some listed lines. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import. Seal products brought into Great Britain for trade require a seal catch certificate; ask your customs broker to confirm eligibility before ordering any seal-derived trim. For CITES-controlled materials, confirm the applicable import requirement with your customs broker.

The table reproduces selected lines available in the supplied data. Its synthetic, artificial and other-textile batik lines apply specifically to hand-printed batik goods. Do not use them automatically for ordinary printed or plain skirts. Confirm the commodity code against the actual fabric composition and manufacturing method.

Specify the waist, lining and pleat behaviour

Specify woven construction, fibre composition, fabric weight and finish, colour, lining material and opacity. Give waist, hip and skirt-length measurements for each size, with agreed tolerances and measurement points. Define waistband construction, elastic recovery, zip position, pocket depth, slit position and hem finish. For tailored trouser specifications, see our women's woven tailored trousers sourcing guide. For denim trouser specifications, see our women's woven denim jeans sourcing guide.

For pleated skirts, approve pleat spacing and appearance after the intended cleaning method. For bias-cut styles, check hanging shape and hem level on the sample. Agree checks for shrinkage, colour transfer and seam slippage on production fabric rather than relying on a showroom sample.

Fibre content must appear on the label. For Great Britain sales, consumer products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Approve fibre-label artwork against the materials, and specify care instructions separately. Ask for the exact animal-origin label wording where leather or fur parts are used, as explained in the site's published outerwear guidance. For faux-fur outerwear, see our women's woven faux-fur coats guide. For pea-coat labelling checks, see our women's woven pea coat sourcing guide.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 women's cotton woven skirts, illustrative order under 6204 52 00 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 12% is £816. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,616, so it is £1,523.20. Import taxes total £2,339.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £816 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure waist, hip and length across the ordered sizes; check waistband twisting, zip closure and lining clearance while sitting.

Fabric: compare colour and opacity with the approved sample; check shrinkage, colour transfer and pleat retention after the agreed cleaning method.

Construction: check seam opening under movement, uneven hems, puckering, pocket attachment and exposed zip edges.

Labels and packing: match fibre labels, size labels and carton contents to the approved specification; check for dampness and staining on arrival. Use the quality inspection guide to plan the inspection.

What goes wrong

A skirt can match the sample length yet fit badly because the factory measures the waistband differently. Linings can be shorter or tighter than the shell, pale fabrics can become transparent under shop lighting, and loosely woven cloth can open at stressed seams.

Pleats may relax after cleaning, bias-cut hems may drop unevenly, and dark cloth can stain a pale lining. Approve a cleaned sample and the measurement method before cutting. Check production garments against that sample before shipment, then reconcile sizes and condition 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.