Sourcing woven wedding dresses from China

Duty on woven wedding dresses

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, the supplied dress lines within heading 6204 carry a flat 12% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is recorded for these lines. The synthetic and artificial fibre rows are relevant to bridal fabrics; the supplied cotton and other-textile rows are specifically hand-printed batik goods, so they are not substitutes for ordinary cotton or silk dress codes.

The supplied lines attach cat and dog fur and seal-product import controls, with CITES also attached to the other-textile batik line. Imports of cat and dog fur products are banned. Commercial seal-product imports are limited to qualifying traditional indigenous hunts and require a seal catch attestation. For CITES-listed materials, confirm the applicable import and export documents with your customs broker and the authorities before ordering from China.

Confirm the commodity code using the finished dress construction and material details rather than the word bridal. Do not assume that every wedding dress fits a row supplied here. For wider bridal sourcing, see buying bridalwear in Guangzhou and Suzhou.

Specify the bodice, layers and bridal shade

Agree a sealed sample, measurement points and tolerances for bust, waist, hips, bodice length and skirt length. Describe the woven outer fabric, lace overlay, lining, cups, boning and closure separately. Specify where alterations can be made, whether the train detaches, and how the bustle holds it clear of the floor.

Approve the bridal shade across fabric, lace, thread and lining under consistent lighting. State the bead and sequin layout, attachment method and acceptable reverse-side finish. Fibre content must appear on the label; products with components of different fibre contents must show each component's content. Agree care instructions, size identification and protective packing with the factory.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 12 woven wedding dresses under 6204 43 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 12% is £816. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,616, so it is £1,523.20. Import taxes total £2,339.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £816 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure production dresses against the approved chart, check bodice symmetry and cup placement, and try the closure through its full travel.

Fabric and layers: compare shades with the sealed sample, check lining coverage and opacity, and inspect lace joins, seam puckering and hems.

Embellishments: check bead and sequin attachment, loose threads, scratchy backing and exposed boning ends. Exercise the train fastenings and bustle.

Labels and packing: compare fibre labels with the material records, check size identification, and inspect unpacked dresses for stains, snagging and crushed trims. Use the quality inspection guide to plan checks before shipment.

What goes wrong

A sample can fit while production bodices drift because measurement points were never agreed. Ivory lace and lining can differ in shade, stiff boning can show through the bodice, and beads can pull loose around closures. Keep the approved material swatches and construction sample available during production.

Packing can flatten cups, crease layered skirts or let embellishments snag adjacent fabric. Approve how the dress is folded or supported, separate snagging surfaces, and inspect it after unpacking as well as before packing. Check alteration access before accepting a construction that hides every seam.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.