Subheading · Chapter 55 · Heading 5508

5508.20: Of artificial staple fibres

Subheading 5508.20 belongs to heading 5508 (sewing thread of man-made staple fibres, whether or not put up for retail sale) in chapter 55.

Importing into Country of origin

What you pay

Importing into UK

Customs duty Free standard rate · across 2 national lines depends on the country of origin

Additional duties and charges 1 additional measure Import requirements: 4

VAT 20.00 % import VAT

Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes →

Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff

UK lines →

5508 20 00 00 Of artificial staple fibres
5508 20 10 00 Not put up for retail sale Free
5508 20 90 00 Put up for retail sale Free

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 1

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)	—	Free
DCTS Comprehensive	Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 more Afghanistan, 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")	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 23 more Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden	Free
DCTS Enhanced	Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 more Algeria, 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 more Antigua & 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 more Anguilla, 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
DCTS Standard	Indonesia	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

UK: imports by month

last 12 months£35k-47.8% · previous 12 months

Average import price£9.25 per kg

Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

Main suppliers, last 12 months

Country	Value	Share	Change
Japan	£14k	41.2%	—
China	£8k	23.8%	-73.2%
France	£6k	15.8%	-2%
Taiwan	£4k	10.3%	—
Germany	£3k	8.9%	-44.2%
Türkiye	£0	0%	-100%
United States	£0	0%	-100%

Same subheading in other tariffs

EU 4% – 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 4.5%

Türkiye 4% – 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 4.5%

USA 11% General (MFN) 1 tariff line

World trade in 2024

5508.20 · US$13.4m

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$10.1kUS$10.1k+US$112.6k+US$365.1k+> US$2.4m

Exports: 80

China: US$4.5m
Egypt: US$2.4m
Portugal: US$1.2m
Malaysia: US$1m
United States: US$816.4k
Türkiye: US$371.7k
India: US$365.1k
Vietnam: US$303k
South Korea: US$216.7k
Hong Kong SAR China: US$189.6k
Thailand: US$173.8k
Germany: US$164.7k
Italy: US$147.3k
Japan: US$146.3k
France: US$135.5k
Guatemala: US$116.7k
Hungary: US$112.6k
Jordan: US$91.9k
Sri Lanka: US$90.7k
Spain: US$84.3k
Indonesia: US$81.6k
South Africa: US$79.7k
Switzerland: US$79.3k
United Kingdom: US$60.1k
Netherlands: US$54.5k
Belgium: US$49.2k
Croatia: US$38.9k
Greece: US$38.3k
Austria: US$27.9k
Poland: US$21.1k
Ghana: US$20.4k
Taiwan: US$16.9k
United Arab Emirates: US$10.1k
Pakistan: US$7.9k
Morocco: US$7.8k
Serbia: US$7.7k
Latvia: US$7k
Russia: US$6.3k
Romania: US$5.7k
Mauritius: US$3.5k
Czechia: US$2.8k
Sweden: US$2.6k
Honduras: US$2.4k
Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$2k
Singapore: US$1.7k
Kuwait: US$1.5k
Lithuania: US$1.2k
Brazil: US$1k
Mexico: US$1k
Nepal: US$1k
Ireland: US$900
Australia: US$800
Norway: US$700
New Zealand: US$700
Trinidad & Tobago: US$700
Canada: US$500
Colombia: US$500
Zambia: US$500
Ukraine: US$400
Djibouti: US$300

Top exporters

Rank	Country	Value	Share
1	China	US$4.5m	34%
2	Egypt	US$2.4m	18.1%
3	Portugal	US$1.2m	9.1%
4	Malaysia	US$1m	7.6%
5	United States	US$816.4k	6.1%
6	Türkiye	US$371.7k	2.8%
7	India	US$365.1k	2.7%
8	Vietnam	US$303k	2.3%
9	South Korea	US$216.7k	1.6%
10	Hong Kong SAR China	US$189.6k	1.4%

Top importers

Rank	Country	Value	Share
1	Türkiye	US$2.1m	15.7%
2	Spain	US$1.2m	8.8%
3	Vietnam	US$1.1m	8.1%
4	Nigeria	US$597.4k	4.5%
5	Thailand	US$530.1k	4%
6	Egypt	US$464.7k	3.5%
7	Germany	US$379.2k	2.8%
8	Morocco	US$372.8k	2.8%
9	Mexico	US$332.3k	2.5%
10	Myanmar (Burma)	US$302.3k	2.3%

The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 5508.20 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.

In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 5508.20 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is between 4% and 5%.

174 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 Free.

Imports of these goods into the UK came to £35.2k between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 48% on the year before); Japan supplied 41%, followed by China.

In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$13.4m (−3.4% year on year).

The largest exporter was China (US$4.5m), followed by Egypt.

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for of artificial staple fibres?

Of artificial staple fibres fall under HS subheading 5508.20, part of heading 5508, in section XI of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on of artificial staple fibres in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5508.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

What is the import duty on of artificial staple fibres in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5508.20 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 of artificial staple fibres?

China, with US$4.5m in 2024 (34% of world exports).

Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?

174 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 Free 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 Japan (41%), China (24%) and France (16%), out of total imports of £35.2k.

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