Sourcing woven liturgical stoles from China

A flat 8% under heading 6214

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 6214 covers shawls, scarves, mufflers, mantillas, veils and the like. This guide concerns woven liturgical stoles within that heading. Every supplied line carries 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension recorded.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls, plus CITES import controls on wool, fine animal hair and certain other-material lines. Imports containing cat or dog fur are banned. Seal products for trade require a seal catch certificate; confirm eligibility with your customs broker before ordering from China. For potentially CITES-listed materials, establish the species and confirm the applicable permit requirements with your broker.

Give your broker the fibre composition, construction, lining and trim details to confirm the commodity code, including whether the hand-made distinction applies. Embroidery alone should not determine that choice. See the woven graduation stoles guide for the wider heading.

Specify the wearing arrangement and sacred motifs

Specify whether the stole hangs from the neck or is worn diagonally, its finished length and width, neck shaping, end shape and any fastening. Agree how it sits over the intended vestment. State the face fabric, lining, interlining, weave, drape and whether the design is reversible.

Approve physical colour samples for each liturgical colour rather than relying on screen images. Supply artwork showing motif orientation, placement, thread colours, metallic effects and fringe finish. Check that crosses and other symbols read correctly when worn. Approve a finished sample with the receiving church before bulk production.

Fibre composition must be labelled; confirm the acceptable fibre names with Trading Standards before approving the artwork. Test silk or wool claims against the bulk fabric before approving labels. Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; include sharp embroidery backing, exposed fasteners and detachable decoration in your checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 woven synthetic-fibre liturgical stoles; illustrative order under 6214 30 00 90, 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

Shape and hang: measure against the approved specification and try the stole over the intended vestment; check neck comfort, twisting, end alignment and diagonal fastenings.

Colour and decoration: compare bulk colours with approved swatches; check motif orientation, embroidery placement, puckering, loose threads and snagging from metallic yarn.

Fabric and labels: compare fibre test results with composition labels; inspect lining, seam closure and embroidery backing, and test colour transfer onto pale vestments.

Arrival condition: unpack each design and colour to check dampness, creasing, fringe damage and packing identification. Use the inspection guide to agree checks before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A flat sample can conceal a stole that twists at the neck, hangs unevenly or shows a motif upside down when worn. Dense embroidery can stiffen the ends and pucker the face fabric. Require a wearing trial and approve the embroidery on the actual fabric and lining combination.

Similar-looking colours may be unacceptable to the receiving church, while dark lining or thread can stain a pale vestment when damp. Agree colour references and colour-transfer checks before production. Avoid accepting a silk description based only on appearance or a care instruction that has not been tried on the finished stole.

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.