Sourcing woven ski gloves from China

Woven ski glove duty and conditional relief

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 October 2026, heading 6216 covers gloves, mittens and mitts. This guide concerns woven textile ski gloves. The table shows product variants under the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the woven fabric gloves guide for the wider family.

The China duty is 6%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. The snapshot lists a 0.00 % suspension for non-knitted textile gloves; the published guide identifies document 9Y11 for COVID-19 critical goods as a condition. Do not assume ordinary ski gloves qualify. The tariff also attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls. Cat and dog fur products are banned; seal products face a ban with limited exceptions.

For CITES-listed animal material from China, confirm the applicable import and export documents before ordering. For seal material, confirm eligibility and documentation with your customs broker. Specify textile shells and disclose every animal-derived component. Confirm the finished construction and commodity code, especially where leather palms or separate liners are involved.

Specify shell, insulation and pole grip

Agree the woven shell fibre composition, lining, insulation distribution, palm material, thumb shape and size chart. Specify cuff length, wrist adjustment, fastening operation while wearing gloves, and whether the liner is fixed or removable. Keep an approved sample showing the intended grip on a ski pole.

Define how any waterproof or warmth claim will be checked on the finished glove, including seams and cuff openings. Confirm applicable fibre composition labelling requirements with Trading Standards. Private-use protection against non-extreme weather is outside the PPE rules; assess stronger protective claims separately rather than assuming every ski glove needs CE or UKCA marking.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 pairs of woven textile ski gloves under 6216 00 00 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 6% is £348. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,148, so it is £1,229.60. Import taxes total £1,577.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £348 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: compare each size with the approved chart; check fingertip space, thumb movement and grip around a ski-pole handle.

Construction: pull seams at fingertips, thumb crotch and wrist straps; check palm reinforcement and insulation for gaps or bunching.

Wet use: check finished-glove water resistance against the agreed claim, including seams; inspect whether liners pull out when damp hands are withdrawn.

Labels and finish: compare fibre labels and care instructions with the agreed materials; check colour transfer, paired sizes and secure fastenings. Use the inspection guide to agree acceptance checks.

What goes wrong

A shell fabric sample can resist water while the finished glove leaks at its seams. Insulation can bunch around the fingers, liners can turn inside out, and stiff palms can make pole grip tiring. Approve the assembled glove and repeat checks after wet use.

Factories may substitute palm material, insulation or cuff fastenings while retaining the sample appearance. Record these components in the order specification and compare delivered stock with the retained sample. Ask for evidence covering the exact construction before accepting protective claims.

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.