Sourcing woven kilim rugs from China
Woven kilim rugs from China carry UK duty of 2% to 8%: genuine hand-woven kilims pay 2%, while other finished flatwoven rugs in the selected lines pay 8%. Consumer rugs sold in Great Britain must be safe, and fibre labels must match the product. Cambridge China Bridge sources woven kilim rugs.
Kilim duty: 2% or 8%
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 October 2026, heading 5702 covers woven textile floor coverings, including kilim-type hand-woven rugs. Genuine hand-woven kilims under 5702 10 00 00 carry 2% duty from China. Other finished flatwoven rugs in the selected wool and man-made fibre lines carry 8%. These lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.
The wool or fine animal hair line attaches CITES import and export controls. Identify the animal species and confirm the applicable permits with your customs broker before shipment. The tariff also lists cultural-object export licensing. Great Britain has no cultural-object import licensing requirement; ask your broker to confirm the relevance of the export entry. Elsewhere in the heading, other-material lines attach cat and dog fur controls; confirm their requirements with your broker if your materials lead to those lines.
A kilim pattern alone does not establish hand-woven construction. Give your broker weaving photographs, fibre composition and details of the finished edges to confirm the commodity code. The table includes other flatwoven constructions for comparison. See the wider woven rugs and carpets guide for the rest of the heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilim and similar hand-woven rugs | 5702 10 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other finished flatwoven rugs of wool or fine animal hair | 5702 91 00 00 | 8% | None |
| Other finished flatwoven polypropylene rugs | 5702 92 10 00 | 8% | None |
| Other finished flatwoven rugs of other man-made fibres | 5702 92 90 00 | 8% | None |
Specify the kilim weave, yarn and finish
State whether the rug is hand-woven or machine-woven, its face and warp fibres, yarn thickness, finished dimensions and whether measurements include fringes. Approve the motif layout, colour sample, weave tightness, edge finish and fringe attachment. Record acceptable variation in shape and pattern alignment against a physical sample.
For consumer sales in Great Britain, rugs must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Fibre labels must be accurate; confirm with the relevant authority which parts of the floor covering the composition declaration should cover. Agree care instructions and test any anti-slip claim on the intended flooring. Arrange testing and certification support around the actual yarn, dyes and backing.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 50 hand-woven kilim rugs; illustrative order, not a quotation under 5702 10 00 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £1,960 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,960. Duty at 2% is £139.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,099.20, so it is £1,419.84. Import taxes total £1,559.04; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £139.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Construction: compare both faces with the approved sample, check weave tightness and loose threads, and verify the production method before accepting a hand-woven claim.
Shape and edges: measure the body and fringes separately, check squareness and motif alignment, and lay arrival samples flat to check rippling, curled corners and insecure fringes.
Colour and care: check each colourway for dry and wet rubbing transfer, then clean samples using the proposed care instructions and inspect for bleeding, shrinkage and distortion.
Labels and packing: compare the use-surface fibre declaration with the composition evidence, check care labels and batch identification, and open cartons to inspect for dampness, mould and odour. Agree checks through the quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
Machine-woven rugs can be described as hand-woven because they carry a kilim motif. That creates a classification problem as well as a mismatch with the order. Loose weaving, uneven tension and poorly secured fringes can produce gaps, skewed patterns and edges that unravel.
Dark yarns can transfer colour onto pale flooring or adjacent yarns during cleaning. Rugs may arrive creased or damp, or fail to lie flat after unpacking. Keep the approved sample and record defects by batch before agreeing acceptance or rework.
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 kilim rugs from China?
Genuine hand-woven kilims under 5702 10 00 00 carry 2%. Other finished flatwoven wool and man-made fibre rugs in the selected lines carry 8%. No anti-dumping or countervailing duties are shown.
Does a kilim pattern qualify for the hand-woven duty?
The pattern does not establish the production method. Verify the weaving process and give your customs broker construction photographs and fibre details before confirming the code.
What fibre label does a kilim rug need?
Confirm with the relevant authority which parts of the rug the fibre composition declaration should cover and which fibre names to use. Check the declaration against composition evidence rather than relying on the supplier's description.
What should I check when kilim rugs arrive?
Lay samples flat, measure the body and fringes, inspect edges and weave gaps, check colour transfer and compare labels with the order. Open packaging to check for dampness and mould.