Sourcing woven baby shorts from China
Woven baby shorts from China carry a flat 10% UK duty across the relevant material lines, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty listed. Baby clothing must be safe, with secure attachments and no hazardous cords; fibre composition must be labelled. Cambridge China Bridge sources woven baby shorts.
A flat 10% duty on woven baby shorts
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6209 covers babies' garments and clothing accessories. The relevant shorts lines carry 10% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension listed. The heading covers garments for children up to 86 cm body height. Knitted baby garments fall under 6111.
The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls to these lines, plus CITES controls to the wool and other-textile lines. Commercial imports containing cat or dog fur are prohibited. For any seal material, confirm the applicable requirement with your customs broker. For CITES material, ask the broker to establish the species and documents required; permits are required for species listed in Annex A, B or C.
Confirm the commodity code using fabric construction, fibre composition and intended body height. A supplier's description of baby shorts does not settle classification. See the woven baby bloomers guide for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woven baby shorts of cotton | 6209 20 00 90 | 10% | None |
| Woven baby shorts of synthetic fibres | 6209 30 00 90 | 10% | None |
| Woven baby shorts of wool or fine animal hair | 6209 90 10 90 | 10% | None |
| Woven baby shorts of other textile materials | 6209 90 90 90 | 10% | None |
Specify nappy room and waist construction
Specify woven fabric construction, fibre composition, fabric weight, colour, lining and pocket details. Agree waist measurements relaxed and stretched, rise, seat width, leg opening and inside-leg length, with tolerances for each size. Assess the sample over a nappy rather than relying on its age label. Record elastic width, recovery and how it is secured against twisting.
Confirm applicable baby-clothing product safety requirements with Trading Standards, including any differences between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Specify secure buttons, snaps and decorations, and avoid hazardous cords. Ask the relevant authority or a testing adviser which UK REACH nickel and azo restrictions apply to the skin-contact metal snaps, dyes and supplied materials. Fibre content must be labelled. Match reports to the supplied fabric, colours and trims through testing and certification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 1,000 woven cotton baby shorts; illustrative quantity, FOB value and freight under 6209 20 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 10% is £680. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,480, so it is £1,496. Import taxes total £2,176; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £680 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Clothing designed for babies and young children is zero-rated under HMRC's VAT Notice 714, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product.
Inspection checklist
Fit: measure supplied sizes against the agreed chart, including rise and seat room over a nappy; check that leg openings and the waist do not restrict movement.
Waist and seams: stretch the elastic, check recovery and twisting, and inspect crotch seams, pocket corners and hems for opening, rough edges and loose threads.
Fabric and washing: compare fabric and colour with the approved sample; wash as instructed and remeasure the waist, rise and leg openings, checking colour transfer and puckering.
Trims and labels: check attachment strength before and after washing, inspect snaps for sharp edges, and match fibre labels and size packs to the order. Arrange quality inspection against the approved sample.
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What goes wrong
Shorts can match the stated waist size yet have too little rise or seat room for a nappy. Elastic may twist inside its casing or lose recovery after washing. Stiff seam allowances and bulky crotch stitching can make an otherwise soft fabric uncomfortable.
Production can differ from the sample through substituted elastic, lighter fabric or poorly reinforced snaps. Washing may shrink the rise, distort hems or cause dark fabric to transfer colour. Keep an approved sample and agreed measurements, and investigate discrepancies before releasing stock.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on woven baby shorts from China?
The supplied tariff facts show 10% across the relevant cotton, synthetic fibre, wool and other-textile lines, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed.
Are knitted baby shorts classified under 6209?
Knitted baby garments fall under 6111. For woven shorts, confirm the fibre composition and intended body height before choosing the commodity code.
Do woven baby shorts need a fibre label?
Yes. Fibre content must be labelled. Check that the label matches the supplied fabric, and agree a soft label position that avoids rubbing.
What should I check on a baby shorts sample?
Check fit over a nappy, relaxed and stretched waist, rise, seat room, elastic recovery, crotch seams and secure trims. Wash the sample and remeasure before approving production.