Subheading · Chapter 54 · Heading 5401
5401.20: Sewing thread of man-made filaments, whether: of artificial filaments
Official description Of artificial filaments
Subheading 5401.20 belongs to heading 5401 (sewing thread of man-made filaments, whether or not put up for retail sale) in chapter 54.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 5401 20 00 00 Of artificial filaments
- 5401 20 10 00 Not put up for retail sale 4%
- 5401 20 90 00 Put up for retail sale 4%
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 2
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- Tariff lines
- on 1 of 2 lines
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2018/1249
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
Import requirements 4
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Documents
- Y084 Derogation from import prohibition by virtue of Article 16i (1) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461
- Documents
- Y966 Goods other than those described in the MG footnotes linked to the measure (Missile Technology Control Regime list - Annex III of Reg. (EU) 267/2012)
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 4% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 3.2% |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Germany | £1.7m | 83.8% | +12.7% |
 China | £184k | 8.9% | -50.6% |
 South Korea | £45k | 2.2% | -31.2% |
 Türkiye | £36k | 1.7% | +583% |
 Italy | £20k | 1% | +45.8% |
 Singapore | £19k | 0.9% | — |
 Japan | £11k | 0.5% | +33.2% |
 Netherlands | £8k | 0.4% | — |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EUWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$19kUS$19k+US$243k+US$1m+> US$4m
Exports: 105
- China: US$71m
- Germany: US$11m
- Italy: US$4m
- South Korea: US$3m
- Vietnam: US$3m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$2m
- South Africa: US$2m
- United States: US$1m
- India: US$1m
- Pakistan: US$1m
- Türkiye: US$1m
- Japan: US$977k
- Mexico: US$931k
- Sri Lanka: US$617k
- Thailand: US$553k
- Greece: US$534k
- United Kingdom: US$441k
- Bulgaria: US$401k
- Indonesia: US$381k
- Guatemala: US$376k
- France: US$360k
- Taiwan: US$359k
- Latvia: US$291k
- Netherlands: US$278k
- Austria: US$243k
- Spain: US$181k
- Dominican Republic: US$172k
- Portugal: US$161k
- Slovakia: US$141k
- Mauritius: US$125k
- Chile: US$125k
- Oman: US$122k
- Romania: US$122k
- Malaysia: US$98k
- Iran: US$85k
- Egypt: US$71k
- Singapore: US$63k
- Senegal: US$62k
- Poland: US$59k
- Australia: US$59k
- Belgium: US$53k
- Czechia: US$43k
- Canada: US$39k
- United Arab Emirates: US$39k
- Lithuania: US$31k
- Brazil: US$30k
- Switzerland: US$29k
- North Macedonia: US$25k
- Morocco: US$20k
- Denmark: US$19k
- Hungary: US$19k
- Cambodia: US$16k
- Russia: US$16k
- Sweden: US$16k
- New Zealand: US$15k
- Honduras: US$12k
- Peru: US$11k
- Sudan: US$11k
- Saudi Arabia: US$9k
- Norway: US$9k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$136kUS$136k+US$492k+US$2m+> US$3m
Imports: 172
- Pakistan: US$25m
- United Arab Emirates: US$7m
- Ethiopia: US$5m
- Indonesia: US$5m
- United States: US$5m
- Saudi Arabia: US$3m
- United Kingdom: US$3m
- Philippines: US$2m
- Nigeria: US$2m
- China: US$2m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$2m
- Germany: US$2m
- Vietnam: US$2m
- Lithuania: US$2m
- Mexico: US$2m
- Italy: US$2m
- Lesotho: US$2m
- Bangladesh: US$1m
- Guatemala: US$1m
- India: US$1m
- Egypt: US$1m
- Romania: US$979k
- Mauritius: US$949k
- Malaysia: US$930k
- Cambodia: US$920k
- Albania: US$888k
- Jordan: US$836k
- Dominican Republic: US$799k
- Senegal: US$773k
- Morocco: US$748k
- Benin: US$740k
- Thailand: US$723k
- Sri Lanka: US$688k
- Ghana: US$663k
- France: US$647k
- Guinea: US$586k
- Togo: US$585k
- Azerbaijan: US$573k
- South Africa: US$557k
- Portugal: US$541k
- Djibouti: US$536k
- Poland: US$493k
- Bolivia: US$492k
- Kenya: US$485k
- Türkiye: US$474k
- Tunisia: US$461k
- Australia: US$447k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$445k
- Spain: US$414k
- Turkmenistan: US$413k
- Ukraine: US$390k
- Switzerland: US$380k
- Canada: US$373k
- Serbia: US$372k
- Russia: US$357k
- Fiji: US$351k
- Austria: US$339k
- Chile: US$316k
- Gambia: US$309k
- Greece: US$305k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$71m | 64.2% |
| 2 | Germany | US$11m | 9.7% |
| 3 | Italy | US$4m | 4% |
| 4 | South Korea | US$3m | 3.1% |
| 5 |  Vietnam | US$3m | 2.6% |
| 6 |  Hong Kong SAR China | US$2m | 1.9% |
| 7 |  South Africa | US$2m | 1.8% |
| 8 |  United States | US$1m | 1.3% |
| 9 |  India | US$1m | 1.2% |
| 10 |  Pakistan | US$1m | 1.1% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan | US$25m | 23% |
| 2 |  United Arab Emirates | US$7m | 6.4% |
| 3 |  Ethiopia | US$5m | 4.7% |
| 4 |  Indonesia | US$5m | 4.7% |
| 5 | United States | US$5m | 4.2% |
| 6 |  Saudi Arabia | US$3m | 2.8% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | US$3m | 2.7% |
| 8 |  Philippines | US$2m | 2.2% |
| 9 |  Nigeria | US$2m | 2.2% |
| 10 | China | US$2m | 2.1% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 2
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N300331 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification, country of origin and status under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) for a textile wrist wrap and a textile abdominal binder from El Salvador
- 600013994 HMRC
Sewing thread. Used for machine or hand sewing. The clear ‘invisible’ nylon mono filament thread blends with any colour fabric. The smoke colour is used to sew darker coloured fabrics. Made from PA Polyamide (nylon) 200m each and Denier /Tex - 22G 100G. Packaged in two reels one clear, one smoke…
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 5401.20 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is 4%.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 5401.20 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is between 4% and 5%.
173 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of 4%.
Imports of these goods into the UK came to £2.1m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 1% on the year before); Germany supplied 84%, followed by China.
In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$110m (−5.3% year on year).
The largest exporter was China (US$71m), followed by Germany.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for sewing thread of man-made filaments, whether: of artificial filaments?
Sewing thread of man-made filaments, whether: of artificial filaments fall under HS subheading 5401.20, part of heading 5401, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on sewing thread of man-made filaments in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5401.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 4%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on sewing thread of man-made filaments in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5401.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 4% to 5%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most sewing thread of man-made filaments?
China, with US$71m in 2024 (64.2% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
173 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 4% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Germany (84%), China (9%) and South Korea (2%), out of total imports of £2.1m.