Sourcing Wool Quilt Wadding from China
Wool quilt wadding classified as other wadding carries 2% UK duty from China; the wider heading has ordinary rates of 2% to 4%. Confirm the applicable consumer product safety requirements for quilting wadding with the relevant authority. Specify fibre content, loft and wash shrinkage before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources wool quilt wadding.
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Wool wadding duty and import paperwork
Heading 5601 covers textile wadding and articles of wadding, together with textile flock, dust and mill neps. Wool quilt wadding belongs in the other-wadding line, 5601 29 00 00, subject to confirmation of its composition and construction. The table shows formats within that same line. For other materials, see our wadding, cotton wool and flock guide.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, the other-wadding line carried 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line. Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition, bonding method and any backing, rather than the supplier's description alone.
For wool meeting the treated-wool import conditions, official guidance permits imports into Great Britain from any country and states that no health certificate or veterinary checks are required. Ask the factory for treatment records and a commercial document identifying the parties, origin, quantity, treatment and animal species. Have your broker check these against the treated-wool guidance before shipment.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wool quilt wadding in rolls | 5601 29 00 00 | 2% | None |
Specify wool content, loft and wash behaviour
State whether the wadding is wholly wool or a blend, and identify any binder fibre, resin or supporting scrim. Agree mass per unit area, usable width, roll length, thickness under an agreed pressure and recovery after compression. Keep an approved sample that can be compared with production material.
Agree the intended care method and test a quilted sample with your actual cover fabric. Record shrinkage, felting, clumping and fibre migration after washing and drying. Ask for the factory's recommended quilting spacing, then check it on your sample rather than accepting a general claim that the material is washable.
For consumer quilting wadding supplied in Great Britain, confirm the applicable product safety requirements with the relevant authority. Textile labels must show fibre content. Check that the declared composition includes supporting or binder fibres, and agree care information supported by your sample tests.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of wool quilt wadding in rolls under 5601 29 00 00, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,200. Duty at 2% is £324. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,524, so it is £3,304.80. Import taxes total £3,628.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £324 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Composition and records: compare the fibre declaration, treatment records and batch identification with the ordered material; investigate unexplained changes in fibre or binder content.
Weight and dimensions: weigh cut samples from different rolls, measure usable width and length, and compare thickness under the pressure agreed in the specification.
Loft and cleanliness: allow compressed material to recover before assessment; check for thin patches, hard lumps, vegetable matter, dampness and unusual odour.
Quilted performance: stitch and wash samples using the agreed care method; check shrinkage, felting, clumping and fibres working through the cover fabric.
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What goes wrong
A roll can look full while containing less fibre than ordered. Compression can hide uneven loft, and binder or scrim changes can alter the handle and wash performance. Wool can felt or shrink during unsuitable washing, while insufficient support or unsuitable quilting spacing can let the filling shift.
Compare production samples with the approved sample before dispatch, then repeat the agreed checks after arrival. Keep treatment paperwork separate from performance evidence: a washing record does not demonstrate loft recovery or quilt washability. Use our quality inspection guide to define what the inspector records.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on wool quilt wadding from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 2% for other wadding under 5601 29 00 00, with no listed trade remedy or suspension. Confirm that the actual material belongs in this line.
Can treated wool quilt wadding be imported from China?
Official treated-wool guidance permits imports from any country. Ask your broker to confirm that the supplied wool meets its treatment conditions and that the accompanying paperwork is suitable.
Does wool quilt wadding need a fibre label?
Official textile guidance says the label must show fibre content. Check the declared wool content against the supplied material, including any binder fibres or supporting scrim.
How do I check whether wool quilt wadding is washable?
Quilt a sample with your cover fabric and wash and dry it by the intended care method. Compare shrinkage, loft, felting, clumping and fibre migration with the agreed acceptance criteria.