Sourcing polyester-ramie fabric from China

A flat 8% for qualifying blends

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 5515 covers other woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres. For polyester-ramie blends classified in its polyester 'other' branch, the relevant finishes are unbleached or bleached, printed, and other. The table separates unbleached and bleached fabric under their shared code.

These lines carry 8% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded and no suspension. The supplied tariff record attaches CITES import and export controls. Permits are required for species listed in the relevant CITES annexes. Ask your customs broker to confirm whether the control requires documentation for your particular polyester-ramie fabric before shipping.

Obtain a fibre-composition report and the finishing description before confirming the commodity code. Treat the table as candidate classifications for fabric falling within this heading. For the wider family, see our polyester-linen staple blend fabric guide.

Specify the ramie blend and finished handle

State polyester and ramie content separately, identify polyester staple rather than filament yarn, and record any additional fibres. Specify yarn count, weave, fabric weight, usable width, finish, shade and intended use. Keep an approved finished sample: a soft sample may handle differently after washing.

Agree limits for shrinkage, seam slippage, pilling and colour transfer against the intended garment or household textile. Define acceptable slubs and rejectable thick yarn faults with sample photographs. Textile labels must show fibre content; use the tested composition when preparing the label rather than copying a supplier's quality name.

For dyed or printed fabric intended for skin contact, request colour-specific azo-dye test reports. Ask HSE or a qualified testing provider to confirm the applicable UK REACH restrictions on azo dyes that release listed aromatic amines in such textiles, and check the site's published fabric guides alongside that advice.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 8,000 metres of dyed woven polyester-ramie blend fabric, illustrative only under 5515 19 90 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,200. Duty at 8% is £1,376. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,576, so it is £3,715.20. Import taxes total £5,091.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,376 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Composition: compare a laboratory fibre report with the ordered polyester-ramie ratio and the proposed fibre label.

Rolls: measure usable width and length; inspect holes, broken ends, thick yarn faults, bowing and shade changes against the approved sample.

Washing: compare dimensions, handle, pilling and colour transfer before and after the agreed wash procedure.

Seams and packing: sew the intended seam and check slippage; inspect roll ends and wrapping for dampness, staining and damage.

What goes wrong

A supplier's 'linen-look' description does not establish ramie content. Substituted fibres, inconsistent slubs and a finish that washes out can leave the delivered cloth unlike the approved sample. Different rolls may also vary in shade or usable width.

Shrinkage and seam slippage may only become obvious after cutting and sewing. Wash and sew samples from the delivered lot before releasing it for production, and retain labelled samples for repeat orders. Use the quality inspection guide to agree checks before dispatch.

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.