Sourcing mohair upholstery fabric from China

8% duty on woven mohair pile fabric

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 5801 covers woven pile fabrics and chenille fabrics, excluding fabrics of headings 5802 and 5806. The supplied wool or fine animal hair line, 5801 10 00 00, carries 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension recorded.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches CITES import and export controls to this line. Official guidance requires a permit for species listed in Annex A, B or C. Ask the supplier to identify the animal species used and have your customs broker confirm the requirement for the Chinese shipment. The tariff entry alone does not establish whether a particular mohair fabric needs CITES documentation.

The table shows product variants within the same supplied commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the actual construction and fibre composition, particularly for blends, through our commodity code guide. For the wider product family, see woven plush upholstery fabric.

Specify the mohair pile and upholstery use

Specify the fibre composition of the pile and ground separately, usable width, weight per square metre, pile height, density, colour, nap direction and backing treatment. Approve a physical sample with the intended finish. Describe the cleaning method and whether the fabric will cover domestic furniture or furniture for a commercial setting.

For domestic upholstered furniture, confirm the applicable fire-safety requirements with Trading Standards, including whether the proposed permanent cover and fire-resistant interliner arrangement is acceptable. Agree test evidence for the proposed cover and upholstery arrangement; do not accept the fibre name as proof of compliance.

Fabric sold by the metre to consumers needs fibre composition information. The label must show the fibre content. Keep the supplier's composition declaration and supporting test evidence together, and agree abrasion, colour transfer and cleaning performance before production. Our testing and certification service can help define the evidence requested.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 100 metres of woven mohair pile upholstery fabric under 5801 10 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,400. Duty at 8% is £512. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,912, so it is £1,382.40. Import taxes total £1,894.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £512 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition: compare the batch declaration and laboratory findings with the agreed mohair content, pile yarn and ground fabric.

Appearance: compare rolls against the approved sample with the nap facing the same direction; check shade variation, crush marks, streaks and bald patches.

Performance: check pile shedding, abrasion, seam slippage, colour transfer and distortion after the agreed cleaning method.

Evidence and packing: match fire-test samples to the supplied finish and backing; check roll identification, nap markings, dry packing and protection against compression.

What goes wrong

A mohair pile description can obscure a different ground composition or an unapproved blend. Panels cut with opposing nap directions can look like different colours. Tight packing can leave pile marks, while weak pile anchorage causes shedding and exposed ground fabric.

A report for an earlier finish or backing leaves the delivered batch unverified. Hold affected rolls apart, photograph defects with the nap direction recorded and compare retained samples before cutting or upholstering. Agree how the supplier will resolve shade, shedding and finish differences.

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.