Textiles & Apparel Customs Brokers

Textiles and apparel imports cover clothing, fabrics, yarns, footwear, leather goods, and technical textiles. Australia imports the overwhelming majority of its textile and apparel requirements, with major source countries including China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Italy. The category spans a wide price range from fast fashion to luxury garments, each with different duty and compliance considerations.

Tariff classification of textiles under Chapters 50-63 of the Harmonised System is one of the most detailed areas of the customs tariff, with rates varying significantly based on fibre composition, construction method (woven, knitted, crocheted), and the level of finishing. Clothing attracts general duty rates of 5%, but the specific classification determines which rate applies. Free trade agreements — particularly ChAFTA (China), JAEPA (Japan), KAFTA (South Korea), and AANZFTA (ASEAN) — offer preferential rates that can reduce duty to zero for qualifying goods with appropriate certificates of origin.

Customs brokers experienced with textiles advise on labelling requirements under the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905, which mandates country of origin and fibre content labelling for clothing and certain textile goods sold in Australia. They also navigate the specific rules of origin for textile goods under each FTA, which are often more restrictive than for other commodity types — many FTAs require textile goods to be cut and sewn (not merely assembled) in the FTA partner country to qualify for preferential duty rates.