Sourcing woven textile cycling gloves from China

6% standard duty and a listed 0% suspension

Heading 6216 covers gloves, mittens and mitts, including woven textile cycling gloves. Knitted gloves fall under heading 6116 and leather gloves under 4203. Mixed textile constructions are usually classified by the palm-side fabric, with exceptions for some sports gloves. Confirm the finished glove's commodity code. The table shows product variants sharing the supplied commodity line. For another product family within this heading, see woven textile motorcycle gloves.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied line carries 6% standard duty for goods from China and lists an autonomous suspension at 0.00 % for textile gloves that are not knitted or crocheted. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded. Ask your customs broker to confirm the suspension conditions and declaration documents before claiming relief; the supplied snapshot does not establish eligibility for a particular cycling-glove order.

The tariff attaches CITES, cat and dog fur, and seal-product import controls, plus CITES and cat and dog fur export controls. Listed-species materials require the relevant permits when moved between China and Great Britain. Cat and dog fur products are prohibited. Seal products face a market ban with limited exceptions; an eligible Inuit-exemption import requires an attestation certificate. Specify materials without these animal components and have your broker confirm the applicable declarations.

Specify palm construction and riding fit

Agree the fabric construction and fibre composition of the palm, back, finger panels and lining. Specify full-finger or fingerless construction, palm reinforcement, padding material and placement, cuff closure, pull tabs and logo position. Approve a size chart covering palm width, finger length and cuff opening, then try the sample while gripping handlebars and operating brake levers.

Textile labels must show fibre content, including fur and other animal parts. Consumer gloves must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. For gloves sold as protective equipment, confirm the applicable conformity-assessment and UKCA or CE marking requirements with the relevant authority. Agree the intended use and claims before approving packaging, and obtain evidence for the exact design through testing and certification. Confirm with HSE which REACH restrictions on azo dyes apply to the skin-contact parts.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 1,000 pairs of woven textile full-finger cycling gloves, illustrative only under 6216 00 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 6% is £408. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,208, so it is £1,441.60. Import taxes total £1,849.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £408 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: check each ordered size against the approved chart, matched pairs, thumb movement and access to brake levers.

Palm and padding: check pad position, symmetry, movement inside pockets and grip on dry and damp handlebar surfaces.

Seams and closures: check finger openings, thumb crotches, reinforcement stitching, pull tabs and cuff fastening after repeated use.

Colour and labels: check rubbing and perspiration colour transfer, fibre labels and agreement between protective claims and supporting documents. Use the quality inspection guide to write the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

Palm pads can shift or bunch when the rider closes their hand. Bulky seams rub between fingers, cuffs loosen, and fingerless openings cut into the skin. Dark dyes can transfer onto hands, while printed grip areas can peel after washing. Compare production gloves with the approved riding sample rather than judging them flat on a table.

A woven back panel does not settle the classification of a mixed-material glove. Ask for the complete material breakdown and a finished sample before declaring the code. Protective claims also fail when the supplied report covers a different palm, padding or construction. Keep the approved sample and packaging wording together for repeat orders.

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.