Sourcing wooden clothes hangers from China

The clothes-hanger code and duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, wooden clothes hangers under heading 4421 have their own line, 4421 10 00 00. The hanger styles listed here share that code. The supplied facts record 0% duty for goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, and no suspension.

The hanger line lists a cultural-object export licence control and an export restriction concerning goods for torture and repression. These are recorded as export controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance if the goods will subsequently be exported. The supplied hanger line lists no import control.

Confirm the material and complete product description using finding your commodity code. Other products within the wider heading have different measures: see sourcing ironing boards. Keep import VAT separate from duty when budgeting; see UK import duty and VAT. See our guide to sourcing wooden artists' easels. For wooden phone stands, see our wooden phone stand sourcing guide.

Specify the shoulders, wood and hook

Name the wood species and agree whether the body is solid or joined. Specify overall width, shoulder thickness and slope, trouser-bar construction, notch shape and hook opening. Match the shape to the garments: narrow shoulders can mark coats, while shallow notches can let straps slip.

Agree the hook metal, finish and fixing method, whether it should swivel, and how the factory will check pull-out resistance. Specify sanding, coating colour and sheen, and any clip pads. Approve a physical sample and agree moisture acceptance and packing that protects the finish.

General product safety rules require safe consumer goods on the Great Britain market. For these hangers, assess splinters, sharp hooks, loose fittings and breakage under intended garment loads. Agree practical checks through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 wooden clothes hangers, illustrative order under 4421 10 00 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £1,120 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,120. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,120, so it is £1,224. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Wood and shape: compare species, joints, shoulder profile and dimensions with the approved sample; inspect for splits, warping and rough notches.

Hooks and fittings: check hook retention and intended swivel action; load the trouser bar and operate clips, checking pads and sharp edges.

Finish: rub a light-coloured cloth over shoulders and bars to check snagging and colour transfer; inspect coating coverage and exposed wood.

Packing and arrival: check moisture against the agreed specification, carton condition, mould and rubbing damage. Compare product references and quantities with the order using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A smooth display sample can conceal rough production notches, weak glued joints or poorly anchored hooks. Thick coats expose weak shoulders; trouser bars loosen, and clips can leave marks. Check production hangers with the intended garments rather than judging appearance alone.

Damp wood and tightly packed cartons can arrive with mould, odour or distorted bodies. Uncured coatings may stick together or stain clothing. Agree drying and packing with the factory, inspect before shipment and repeat the finish and moisture checks on arrival.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.