Sourcing woven fencing gloves from China

Woven fencing gloves: 6% and a listed suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6216 covers gloves, mittens and mitts. Woven textile fencing gloves fall within the product family considered here. The table shows buying variants under the same supplied commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the woven fabric gloves guide for the wider heading.

The supplied tariff record lists 6% duty for goods from China, no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, and an autonomous suspension at 0.00 % applying only to textile gloves that are not knitted or crocheted under this code. Confirm eligibility and declaration conditions with your customs broker before budgeting at the suspended rate. Confirm the commodity code using the complete material specification, including any leather palm or knitted panels.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. CITES-listed species require the relevant permit; confirm the species-specific paperwork for any Chinese animal-material components. Imports and exports of cat and dog fur products are banned. For the attached seal-product control, ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement before ordering any such material. The record also lists CITES and cat and dog fur export controls; check these before arranging returns overseas.

Specify the fencing use, hand and cuff

Specify foil, épée or sabre use, the intended protective claims, right or left hand, and adult or junior sizing. Agree palm width, finger lengths, thumb position, cuff length and closure adjustment against an approved sample. State whether gloves are supplied individually or as pairs, and agree the size and hand breakdown before cutting.

Define the woven shell, lining, palm reinforcement, seam construction and cuff overlap with the fencing jacket. If a conductive cuff is requested, agree how its electrical continuity will be checked. For gloves sold for protection, confirm their personal protective equipment status and the applicable conformity assessment and CE or UKCA marking route for Great Britain with the relevant authority. Request evidence for the exact fencing glove and its intended protection through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,000 individual woven textile fencing gloves under 6216 00 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 6% is £408. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,208, so it is £1,441.60. Import taxes total £1,849.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £408 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: check each ordered size and hand against the approved measurements; flex the fingers and grip the intended weapon handle to identify tight seams or excessive bunching.

Seams and cuff: check fingertip and thumb seams, reinforcement alignment, closure security and overlap with the intended jacket sleeve.

Materials: compare shell, lining and palm reinforcement with the approved sample; check colour transfer from rubbing and sweat, and conductive cuff continuity where specified.

Evidence and marking: match the glove design to its protective test evidence and conformity assessment documents. Check CE or UKCA marking is visible, legible and indelible. Use the quality inspection guide to agree recorded acceptance checks.

What goes wrong

A glove can match the sample colour yet have short fingers, a twisted thumb or a bulky palm seam that interferes with grip. Cuffs can pull away from the sleeve when the wrist bends, while closures catch on neighbouring fabric. Mixed left-hand and right-hand cartons create picking errors, particularly when individual gloves are described as pairs.

Protective evidence can refer to a different palm material, cuff or seam design. Treat changes to those features as a reason to review the evidence before accepting production. A conductive cuff also needs its own agreed checks; appearance alone does not establish electrical continuity.

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.