Sourcing woven lyocell fabric from China

UK duty on woven lyocell fabric

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 5516 covers woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres, including qualifying lyocell fabrics. All listed lines carry 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions in the supplied data. The subdivision depends on fibre composition and whether the fabric is unbleached or bleached, dyed, yarn-dyed or printed.

The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to some lines, including the artificial-staple category at 85% or more. For fabric from China containing a CITES-listed specimen, a permit is required to move that specimen into Great Britain, and the corresponding documentation must also be obtained from the exporting country's authority. Confirm applicability and the required documents with your customs broker before shipment.

Use a fibre composition report and the fabric's construction and finish to confirm the commodity code. A lyocell sales description alone does not establish the subdivision. See the viscose and rayon fabrics guide for the wider heading.

Specify the lyocell blend, weave and finish

State the lyocell content and every blending fibre, staple yarn construction, yarn count, weave, mass per square metre and usable width. Identify the intended use, such as shirts, dresses or bedding, and agree the handle, opacity, shade and finish against a retained sample.

Specify washing conditions and agreed acceptance criteria for dimensional change, colour transfer, tear strength and seam slippage. Compare the surface before and after washing for unwanted fuzzing or changes in handle. Approve a print strike-off or dyed shade sample before bulk production.

Textile labels must show fibre content. Confirm the appropriate name for lyocell in the composition declaration with Trading Standards, rather than relying on a supplier's trade name. Confirm applicable UK REACH restrictions on azo dyes and aromatic amines in skin-contact textiles with HSE; request relevant dye test reports for the ordered dyed or printed quality.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 8,000 metres of dyed woven lyocell fabric under 5516 12 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,200. Duty at 8% is £1,536. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £20,736, so it is £4,147.20. Import taxes total £5,683.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,536 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition: check laboratory results against the declared lyocell blend and match reports to the supplied fabric.

Wash performance: measure warp and weft dimensional change, inspect surface appearance and check colour transfer using the agreed care conditions.

Construction: check usable width, mass, weaving faults, bowing and seam slippage on a sewn sample.

Rolls: compare shades between rolls, verify lengths and inspect for dampness, stains and packing damage. Plan checks through the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A swatch can conceal differences across production rolls. Look for shade variation, uneven finishing, weaving streaks and a washed surface that differs from the approved sample. Loose constructions can pull apart at seams even when the initial handle is acceptable.

Do not cut the delivery solely on the strength of an unwashed sample. Retain the approved fabric, compare arrival samples after washing and separate suspect rolls while the mill investigates. Record each affected roll and defect so that replacement discussions refer to identifiable goods.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.