Sourcing woven chef aprons from China

12% duty on woven chef aprons

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 October 2026, heading 6211 covers other garments alongside tracksuits, ski suits and swimwear. For woven chef aprons, the relevant occupational clothing lines distinguish cotton from man-made fibres and men's from women's garments. The table gives candidate lines; confirm the classification of a unisex apron rather than relying on its sales description.

The selected lines carry 12% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty listed. The suspension under 6211 42 10 00 applies only to specified medical scrub tops and bottoms, not chef aprons. All selected lines attach a seal-products import control. Seal products imported into Great Britain for trade must have a seal catch certificate; if any seal material is proposed, confirm eligibility and documentation with your customs broker before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using the finished sample, fabric construction, fibre composition and intended use. For other garments within the wider workwear range, see branded and embroidered workwear.

Specify the apron for its laundry routine

Specify bib or waist style, fabric weave and weight, fibre composition, finished width and length, neck adjustment, waist-tie length, pocket layout and reinforcement. Approve a sample worn over the buyer's kitchen uniform, checking coverage, reach and whether ties interfere with movement.

Give the factory the intended washing and drying routine. Agree acceptable shrinkage, colour change and seam distortion against a washed sample. Specify embroidery position, thread colour and backing, keeping pocket openings usable. The fibre label must show the fibre content; agree practical care instructions separately.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 cotton chef aprons, illustrative order under 6211 42 10 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 12% is £696. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,496, so it is £1,299.20. Import taxes total £1,995.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £696 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric and labels: compare bulk fabric with the approved sample and composition evidence; check the fibre label agrees with the fabric.

Dimensions and ties: measure apron coverage and tie lengths against the specification; check neck adjusters hold and tie attachments resist pulling.

Wash performance: wash and dry production samples using the agreed laundry routine; check shrinkage, twisting, colour transfer and embroidery puckering.

Pockets and finish: check pocket access, reinforcement, loose threads, sharp trim edges and logo placement. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

An apron can match the sample before washing yet lose coverage afterwards. Different shrinkage in the body fabric, ties and embroidery can twist the garment or pucker the logo. Keep a washed approval sample and compare production pieces with it.

Short ties, slipping neck adjusters and weak pocket corners make an otherwise acceptable apron awkward to use. Embroidery can close a pocket opening or leave rough backing against clothing. Record these details in the specification rather than accepting a photograph as approval.

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.