Sourcing woven keffiyehs from China

A flat 8% duty on woven keffiyehs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6214 covers shawls, scarves and similar articles, including woven keffiyehs. All supplied lines carry 8% duty for goods from China. The supplied record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions. The table focuses on cotton and man-made fibres; see the wider scarves and shawls guide.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls. Imports and exports of cat and dog fur products are banned. Seal products under the traditional indigenous-hunt exemption need a seal catch attestation; confirm eligibility with your customs broker. Wool, fine animal hair and some other-material lines also carry CITES import controls: species covered by the permit annexes require a permit. Ask your broker to confirm the requirements for any animal-derived material from China.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual fibre composition, woven construction and manufacturing method. A cotton-looking blend should not be classified from appearance alone. Knitted scarves fall under heading 6117 rather than 6214.

Specify the woven pattern and fringe

Specify fibre composition, fabric weight, finished dimensions and tolerances, pattern repeat, border placement and colours. State that the pattern must be woven into the fabric if that is what you are buying. Approve the face and reverse, including the length of loose yarn floats. Define whether measurements include the fringe, and agree fringe length, knotting and edge stitching.

Label the fibre composition and confirm the appropriate fibre names with Trading Standards. Test bulk fabric before approving cotton or other fibre claims. Agree care instructions against wash-test results, including shrinkage and colour transfer. Keep an approved sample showing the weave, handle, borders and fringe for comparison with production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 woven cotton keffiyehs under 6214 90 00 19, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,500. Duty at 8% is £520. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,020, so it is £1,404. Import taxes total £1,924; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £520 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fabric and labels: compare bulk fibre test results with the order and fibre label; check fabric weight, handle and loose yarn floats against the approved sample.

Pattern and shape: lay the keffiyeh flat, measure the fabric body separately from the fringe, and check squareness, border alignment and pattern distortion after washing.

Colour: check dry and damp rubbing, washing and perspiration colour fastness on each colourway, particularly dark yarn beside pale yarn.

Fringe and packing: pull-check knots and edge stitching, look for shedding and unravelled corners, and check cartons for dampness, odour and mixed designs. Record findings through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A printed substitute can resemble the approved woven pattern in a photograph. Inspect both sides and compare the yarn structure with the sample. Long loose floats can snag, while uneven tension can distort borders. A soft sample also does not establish the fibre content of bulk fabric.

Fringe knots can loosen and edges can unravel after washing. Dark yarn can transfer colour onto pale sections or clothing. Agree acceptance criteria before production, retain washed samples and compare the delivered batch with them 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.