How to Import Clothing From China to the USA: Shipping, Duties, Documents & Labeling

Importing clothing from China is not difficult because the cargo is physically hard to move.

It becomes difficult when the shipment reaches the United States and someone realizes:

The invoice only says “clothing”
The fiber content was never confirmed
Nobody knows whether the garments are knit or woven
The country-of-origin labels are wrong
The carton dimensions were estimates
The customs broker received the documents after the vessel departed
The importer budgeted for freight but not duties and destination charges

Most expensive apparel-importing problems begin before the cargo leaves China.

The good news is that these problems are usually preventable.

Before booking a clothing shipment, make sure you can answer six basic questions:

What exactly is each garment?
Is it knit or woven?
What is the fiber content by percentage?
Who is the clothing designed for?
Are the required labels already attached correctly?
What are the final carton dimensions, weight, and quantity?

If you can answer those questions, quoting and clearing the shipment becomes much easier.

If you already have a commercial invoice, packing list, or cargo details, Cargo Bridge can review the available shipping information and help identify what may still be needed before requesting air, LCL, or FCL pricing.

Request a Free Shipment Review

If your documents are incomplete, send what you have. You do not need to understand every freight or customs term before contacting us.

The Information You Need for Every Clothing Style

One of the biggest mistakes importers make is treating an entire order as one product.

A purchase order may contain:

Cotton T-shirts
Polyester dresses
Denim trousers
Knitted sweaters
Woven jackets
Children’s pajamas

These products may arrive in the same shipment, but they should not automatically be treated as one item for customs purposes.

Before the clothing ships, create a style breakdown containing at least:

Information	Example
Style number	CB-1025
Garment type	Women’s pullover
Construction	Knitted
Fiber content	95% cotton, 5% spandex
Gender/category	Women’s
Size range	XS–XL
Quantity	1,200 pieces
Unit value	$7.50 each
Country of origin	China
Intended use	Casual outerwear
Label status	Approved and attached

This information helps the customs broker determine the correct Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification.

Descriptions such as these are usually too vague:

Women’s clothing
Fashion garments
Apparel
Mixed clothing
Samples

A more useful description would be:

Women’s knitted cotton pullover, 95% cotton and 5% spandex

Or:

Men’s woven polyester windbreaker jacket

CBP expects commercial invoices to contain an adequate merchandise description, quantity, and value. CBP also publishes examples showing why vague cargo descriptions can be unacceptable.

You do not need to place the final HTS code on every factory document before asking for help. However, your broker cannot classify the merchandise accurately if the underlying product details are missing.

How Clothing Duties Are Determined

There is no single duty rate for “clothing from China.”

The duty rate can depend on:

Type of garment
Knit or woven construction
Fiber content
Men’s, women’s, boys’, or girls’ classification
Whether the item is outerwear, underwear, sleepwear, sportswear, or another category
Whether the garment contains special materials or features
Country of origin
Additional trade measures that apply at the time of entry

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States contains the official tariff classifications and general duty rates. China-origin products can also be affected by additional tariff provisions listed elsewhere in the HTS, including applicable Chapter 99 measures. Because these additional duties can change, the broker should confirm the current treatment when the shipment is being prepared.

This is why it is dangerous to budget using a statement such as:

Clothing duty is approximately 15%.

One style might have a lower base duty. Another might have a much higher duty. Additional China-related tariffs may or may not apply depending on the classification and rules in effect.

A Better Way to Estimate Landed Cost

Start with this structure:

Product cost

Plus:

China pickup and export charges
Air or ocean freight
U.S. destination charges
Customs brokerage
Customs bond cost, when applicable
Base customs duty
Additional tariff measures, when applicable
Government processing fees
Final delivery
Cargo insurance
Warehousing or fulfillment

That produces a more useful estimate than looking only at the factory price and ocean rate.

Simple Example

Assume an importer purchases:

5,000 garments
Factory cost: $40,000
Freight and logistics: estimated separately
Duty rate: not yet confirmed

The importer should not calculate the retail margin based only on the $40,000 purchase price.

Before approving production, the importer should ask the customs broker to review the style information and estimate the applicable duty treatment.

Even a modest classification difference can materially change the landed cost across thousands of garments.

Cargo Bridge does not replace the customs broker’s classification role. We help organize the product and shipment information so the broker has useful details to review before the cargo moves.

What Labels Must Be on Imported Clothing?

Labels should be addressed during production—not after the shipment reaches the United States.

Most textile and wool products sold in the United States must disclose:

Fiber content
Country of origin
The identity of the manufacturer, importer, or another responsible business

The business identity may be shown using the company name or an FTC Registered Identification Number, commonly called an RN, when appropriate.

Apparel generally must also include care instructions describing a safe method of cleaning the garment.

1. Fiber-Content Label

The fiber label should state the generic fiber names and percentages by weight.

Example:

95% Cotton
5% Spandex

Do not automatically copy the factory’s marketing description.

Terms such as these may require additional review:

Bamboo
Cashmere
Silk blend
Eco fiber
Modal
Recycled material
Vegan leather

The label should reflect the legally appropriate fiber description, not simply the wording that sounds best for marketing.

2. Country-of-Origin Label

Foreign-origin goods generally must be marked legibly and conspicuously with the English name of the country of origin unless a specific exception applies.

For clothing manufactured in China, the marking will commonly state:

Made in China

The label should not be hidden inside packaging in a way that prevents the ultimate purchaser from seeing the origin.

Do not assume that printing “China” on the shipping carton replaces the garment’s required origin marking.

3. Manufacturer or Responsible-Company Identity

The label generally identifies the manufacturer or another business responsible for marketing or handling the product.

A U.S. business may apply for an FTC RN and use that number instead of displaying its company name when the rules permit. The FTC does not issue RNs to businesses outside the United States.

4. Care Label

A care label should provide a safe cleaning method, such as washing or dry-cleaning instructions.

The instructions must be based on a reasonable basis that the recommended method will not damage the garment.

Approve the Label Before Mass Production

Before the factory sews labels into thousands of garments, request:

A clear label artwork file
A photo of the proposed label
A pre-production sample
Confirmation of label placement
Confirmation that the wording matches the actual garment

Correcting a digital label file is inexpensive.

Replacing labels after 10,000 garments have been produced is not.

Children’s Clothing Requires Additional Attention

Do not treat children’s clothing exactly like adult clothing.

General wearing apparel is subject to federal flammability requirements. CPSC’s clothing standard prohibits dangerously flammable Class 3 textiles from being used in clothing.

Children’s products may also require:

Testing for applicable safety requirements
Testing by a CPSC-accepted third-party laboratory when required
A Children’s Product Certificate
Tracking-label information
Lead or component review
Additional records based on the garment and age group

Children’s sleepwear has specific flammability requirements. Depending on the garment, compliant sleepwear generally must meet the applicable flammability standard or qualify under defined infant or tight-fitting provisions.

A supplier saying, “We sell this in many countries,” is not proof that the product satisfies U.S. requirements.

For children’s clothing, confirm the product requirements and testing plan before production—not after the shipment is booked.

Documents Commonly Needed to Import Clothing

The exact documents depend on the transaction, product, and transportation method, but a commercial apparel shipment commonly involves the following.

Commercial Invoice

The Chinese supplier normally prepares the commercial invoice.

It should include:

Seller’s legal name and address
Buyer’s name and address
Importer or consignee information
Invoice number and date
Style-by-style product descriptions
Quantity
Unit price
Total value
Currency
Country of origin
Incoterm
Payment or transaction information when appropriate

A commercial invoice should reflect the actual transaction.

Packing List

The packing list explains how the cargo is physically packed.

It should include:

Total carton count
Style and quantity by carton
Units per carton
Carton dimensions
Net weight
Gross weight
Pallet count and dimensions, if palletized
Shipping marks
Total CBM

The commercial invoice answers:

What was purchased, and what is it worth?

The packing list answers:

How is the shipment physically packed?

Those documents should agree.

If the commercial invoice says 8,000 pieces and the packing list accounts for only 7,600, resolve the discrepancy before departure.

Style or Classification Worksheet

For mixed apparel shipments, prepare a separate worksheet showing:

Style number
Garment description
Knit or woven
Fiber percentages
Gender or age category
Quantity
Unit value
Proposed HTS classification, if available

This may not be a carrier document, but it can make the broker’s review much easier.

Label Photographs

Keep clear photographs showing:

Fiber-content label
Country-of-origin marking
Care label
Company identity or RN
Tracking label for children’s products, when applicable

Testing and Compliance Records

Depending on the clothing, these may include:

Fabric or garment test reports
General Certificate of Conformity
Children’s Product Certificate
Children’s third-party laboratory reports
Sleepwear documentation
Supporting fiber-content records

For applicable general-use consumer products made overseas, the importer is responsible for issuing the required General Certificate of Conformity. Children’s products have separate certification and third-party testing requirements.

Transportation Document

Depending on the shipping method, the transportation document will normally be:

Air waybill
Ocean bill of lading
Courier waybill

The forwarder or carrier issues this document.

Customs-Broker Documents

The broker may request:

Customs power of attorney
Importer identification information
Customs bond information
Commercial invoice
Packing list
Arrival information
Classification details
Product and manufacturer information
Supporting compliance documents

Do not wait until the vessel arrives to appoint the customs broker.

What Information Is Needed for a Freight Quote?

You do not need the final customs classification to request an initial transportation quote.

You normally need:

Origin

Factory or pickup address in China
Nearest city or port, if known
Supplier contact information
Incoterm

Destination

U.S. delivery ZIP code
Commercial warehouse, fulfillment center, store, or residence
Receiving hours
Appointment requirements
Loading dock availability
Liftgate requirement, if applicable

Cargo

Carton count
Carton dimensions
Gross weight
Total CBM
Pallet count, if applicable
Cargo-ready date
Product description

Timing

Required delivery date
Whether the order is seasonal
Whether any portion is urgently needed

For clothing, the carton dimensions are especially important because garments can be relatively light but bulky.

A supplier who provides only the weight has not provided enough information to compare air and ocean freight accurately.

How to Calculate CBM

Ocean freight is heavily affected by cargo volume.

To calculate the CBM of one carton using meters:

Length × Width × Height

Then multiply by the number of cartons.

Example

A carton measures:

0.60 meters long
0.40 meters wide
0.40 meters high

The volume of one carton is:

0.60 × 0.40 × 0.40 = 0.096 CBM

If there are 80 cartons:

0.096 × 80 = 7.68 CBM

Your shipment is approximately 7.68 CBM before any difference caused by palletizing or final warehouse measurements.

Ask the supplier for final packed dimensions. Do not calculate the freight using empty-carton specifications or an early production estimate.

Should Clothing Ship by Courier, Air, LCL, or FCL?

The correct method depends on volume, urgency, value, and destination.

Courier

Courier service may make sense for:

Samples
A few small cartons
Pre-production garments
Label samples
Emergency replacements

Courier is convenient, but it may not be economical for larger commercial orders.

Air Freight

Air freight may make sense when:

The shipment is urgent
A launch date is approaching
The importer is running out of stock
Seasonal merchandise will lose value if delayed
The shipment is too large for practical courier service but still relatively small

Air freight is normally charged using the greater of actual weight or dimensional weight.

Clothing can reach a high dimensional weight because cartons may occupy a large amount of space without being extremely heavy.

LCL Ocean Freight

LCL means the clothing shares a container with cargo belonging to other importers.

It may make sense when:

The order contains several pallets or several cubic meters
The cargo does not fill a container
The products are not urgently needed
The importer has enough inventory to wait for ocean transit
The complete LCL cost is meaningfully lower than air freight

Do not compare only the air rate per kilogram with the LCL ocean rate per CBM.

LCL can also involve:

China pickup
Export warehouse handling
Consolidation charges
Documentation
Destination container-freight-station charges
Customs clearance
Final delivery

Compare the total cost using the same pickup and delivery points.

FCL Ocean Freight

FCL may make sense when the order is large enough to use a meaningful portion of a container.

It can provide:

Less handling than LCL
Better efficiency for larger orders
More direct control over the container movement
Easier separation of one importer’s cargo

However, the importer must be prepared for:

Container-delivery appointments
Unloading
Warehouse receiving limitations
Container return deadlines
Demurrage
Detention

Once an LCL order reaches a substantial volume, ask for both LCL and FCL options. Do not assume LCL remains cheaper simply because the cargo does not completely fill a container.

Split Shipment

Clothing orders are often seasonal.

If part of the inventory is urgently needed, consider:

Sending launch quantities or missing sizes by air
Sending the balance by ocean

For example, an importer might send the fastest-selling styles by air and the remaining inventory by LCL or FCL.

A split shipment costs more than moving everything by ocean, but it may prevent stockouts or missed sales.

A Practical Shipping Example

Assume a company has the following order ready in Guangzhou:

80 cartons
7.68 CBM
1,100 kg gross weight
Women’s casual apparel
Delivery to Los Angeles
Inventory needed in approximately six weeks

The importer should not immediately choose air or LCL.

Instead, request:

Air Option

Factory pickup
Export handling
Chargeable weight
Air freight
U.S. destination handling
Customs-broker coordination
Final delivery

LCL Option

Factory pickup
Export warehouse handling
LCL ocean freight
Destination CFS charges
Customs-broker coordination
Final delivery

Then compare:

Total expected cost
Estimated availability date
Risk of missing the sales window
Existing inventory level
Whether a partial air shipment would solve the timing problem

The correct decision is not always:

Choose the cheapest freight method.

The correct decision is:

Choose the method that gives the business the best balance of landed cost, inventory timing, and risk.

What Must Be Done Before the Cargo Leaves China?

Use this sequence.

Before Paying the Production Deposit

Confirm:

Supplier identity
Product specifications
Fiber content
Intended customer and age category
Label requirements
Testing requirements
Incoterm
Expected carton dimensions
Estimated duty treatment with the broker

Before Mass Production

Approve:

Garment sample
Fiber composition
Label artwork
Country-of-origin marking
Care instructions
Label placement
Packaging
Testing plan, if required

Before Requesting a Final Freight Quote

Obtain:

Factory pickup address
Final carton count
Final carton dimensions
Gross weight
Total CBM
Cargo-ready date
U.S. delivery ZIP code

Before Booking

Confirm:

Air, LCL, FCL, or split-shipment plan
Quote scope
Origin and destination charges
Customs broker
Customs bond
Product documents
Warehouse receiving plan
Cargo insurance decision

Before Ocean Departure

Provide the required ISF information to the party filing the Importer Security Filing.

ISF requirements apply to cargo arriving in the United States by vessel, and failure to comply can result in penalties. Do not wait until the vessel has already sailed to begin collecting the information.

Before Arrival

Confirm:

Final commercial invoice
Final packing list
Bill of lading or air waybill
Broker entry status
Duty-payment arrangements
Delivery appointment
Warehouse receiving hours
Any terminal or CFS release requirements

Common Clothing-Import Mistakes

1. Using “Clothing” as the Product Description

The broker needs actual garment details.

2. Failing to Separate Styles

A shipment with shirts, trousers, dresses, and jackets should not be treated as one classification without review.

3. Not Confirming Knit or Woven Construction

This distinction can change the tariff chapter and classification.

4. Missing Fiber Percentages

“Cotton blend” is not the same as a verified fiber breakdown.

5. Approving Labels After Production

Label corrections become much more expensive after thousands of garments are complete.

6. Assuming the Supplier Understands U.S. Requirements

The supplier manufactures the product. The U.S. importer remains responsible for understanding the import and compliance requirements that apply.

7. Comparing Incomplete Freight Quotes

A low port-to-port rate should not be compared with a door-to-door quotation.

8. Using Estimated Carton Measurements

Final freight charges are based on the cargo actually shipped.

9. Waiting Too Long to Contact the Customs Broker

Classification, duty, labeling, and compliance questions are easier to address before departure.

10. Assuming DDP Removes All Importer Risk

A supplier’s DDP offer does not automatically answer:

Who is the importer of record?
Whose customs bond is being used?
What value is being declared?
What HTS classifications are being used?
Whether the entry and product compliance are correct
Who controls the shipping documents

Ask these questions before agreeing to a structure you do not understand.

How Cargo Bridge Helps Clothing Importers

Cargo Bridge has more than 20 years of logistics experience in the fashion space from Asia to the United States.

Cargo Bridge can coordinate door-to-door shipping from the supplier in China to the final delivery location in the United States, including origin pickup, air or ocean freight, customs broker coordination, destination handling, and final delivery.

We can help coordinate:

Communication with the Chinese supplier
Pickup and cargo-ready information
Air-freight options
LCL ocean freight
FCL ocean freight
Split-shipment planning
Commercial-invoice and packing-list coordination
Customs-broker handoff
Destination handling
Final delivery

We do not believe an importer should receive a freight number without understanding what the service covers.

Our role is to help organize the cargo information, coordinate the transportation, communicate with the parties involved, and reduce preventable surprises before and after the shipment moves.

Request a Free Clothing Shipment Review

Preparing to import clothing from China? Cargo Bridge can coordinate door-to-door air, LCL, or FCL service from the supplier’s facility in China to your warehouse or business in the United States.

Send Cargo Bridge whatever information is currently available:

Factory location
U.S. delivery ZIP code
Product description
Carton quantity
Dimensions
Gross weight
Total CBM
Cargo-ready date
Commercial invoice or packing list, if available

We can review the shipment information and help determine whether courier, air freight, LCL, FCL, or a split shipment should be compared.

If you do not have all the information yet, that is completely fine. We will ask the necessary questions and explain what is still needed.

You can communicate with us by phone, Zoom, or email—whichever is most convenient.

Request a Free Shipment Review

Cargo Bridge
Los Angeles, California
cargobridgeusa.com

This guide provides general transportation and importing information and is not legal advice. Classification, tariffs, labeling, product-safety requirements, and shipping procedures vary by garment and shipment. Importers should confirm shipment-specific customs and regulatory requirements with their licensed customs broker and other qualified service providers before production or shipment.