Shipping textiles and garments from Guangzhou to Dubai

Garments and fabrics bought in Guangzhou's wholesale markets and Pearl River Delta factories are consolidated at our Guangzhou warehouse and shipped LCL or FCL from Nansha, typically 18–30 days door to door to Dubai. As of November 2026 cargo lands at Khor Fakkan and moves to Jebel Ali by bonded truck. In Dubai, clothing pays 5% duty on the CIF value plus 5% VAT, and regulated textiles fall under the UAE textile control scheme.

At a glance

How it works

1. Buying and shipping markYou buy from market stalls or factories and give each supplier our warehouse address and your shipping mark.
2. Delivery to our warehouseSuppliers deliver bales and cartons to our Guangzhou warehouse, or our truck collects them.
3. Count, check and photographWe count every lot against its packing list, photograph it and report shortages or damage.
4. Consolidation and exportAll lots go into one shipment under one bill of lading, export is declared and the cargo sails from Nansha.
5. Khor Fakkan and bonded truckAs of November 2026 the vessel discharges at Khor Fakkan and the cargo moves to Jebel Ali under customs seal.
6. Clearance and deliveryOur broker clears the goods with Dubai Customs, settles duty and VAT, and a truck delivers to your shop or store.

Many stalls, one shipment

Market buying produces many small lots: a few bales from one stall, a dozen cartons from another. Shipping each lot separately multiplies paperwork and cost. Instead, every supplier delivers to our Guangzhou warehouse under your shipping mark; we count, photograph and check the cartons, and everything leaves under one bill of lading and one import clearance. LCL is charged per W/M, the greater of CBM or tonnes, and clothing is light for its volume, so you almost always pay by CBM. Pressed bales take less space than loose cartons. Set a firm cut-off date, because one late supplier holds up the whole shipment.

HS codes and invoice descriptions

Garments are classified first by how the fabric is made. Knitted or crocheted clothing such as T-shirts, leggings and most sportswear falls under HS chapter 61; woven clothing such as shirts, trousers, jeans and most abayas under chapter 62. Fabrics and home textiles sit in other chapters of the textile section. Within each chapter the code depends on the garment, the wearer and the main fibre. China uses a 10-digit export code and the UAE a 12-digit tariff; the first 6 digits match, and our broker confirms the UAE code. Describe each line fully, for example 600 pcs women's dresses, woven, 100% polyester.

Duty, VAT and the UAE textile scheme

Clothing cleared into the Dubai mainland pays 5% customs duty on the CIF value, then 5% VAT on CIF plus duty, or VAT by reverse charge for registered importers whose customs code is linked to their TRN. The usual documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and a certificate of origin from China, and invoices of AED 10,000 or more need MOFA attestation. Textiles also fall under the Cabinet Resolution on the UAE scheme for the control of textile products, in force since 16 August 2019, with regulated items registered in ECAS with MOIAT. Labels are expected to show fibre composition and country of origin, including Arabic; sewing them in at the factory costs far less than fixing them in Dubai.

Common mistakes

One-line descriptions such as garments or ladies wear are the most common cause of customs queries, followed by values far below reference prices, which lead to reassessment. Counterfeit or replica branded clothing cannot be imported into the UAE, and China Customs checks exports for fake brands too, so ship branded goods only with authorisation. Missing labels are expensive to fix after arrival. Timing matters as well: Chinese New Year 2027 falls on 6 February and many factories close for 2–4 weeks around it, while Ramadan 2027 begins about 8 February, so seasonal stock should be ordered by early December 2026.

Checklist before you book

• Shipping mark and warehouse address sent to every supplier
• Packing list for each lot with carton count, weight and size
• Each invoice line: garment, knitted or woven, fibre, quantity, unit price
• Labels with fibre composition and origin, including Arabic
• No third-party brands without written authorisation
• Certificate of origin issued in China
• Orders placed early enough for Chinese New Year and Ramadan

Questions

Read next

General information checked against the sources below. Our team confirms the route, papers and timing for your shipment before booking; prices are quoted per shipment.

Sources

1. UAE Legislation: Cabinet Resolution regarding the UAE Scheme for the Control of Textile Products (2019)
2. MOIAT: Issue conformity certificates for regulated products (ECAS)
3. UAE ICP: Customs union for GCC (common external tariff)
4. Gulf News: invoice and origin certificate attestations via MOFA eDAS (August 2026)
5. CCIS Expertise: certification of textile products, United Arab Emirates (label requirements summary)
6. Lloyd's List Intelligence: Strait of Hormuz Brief, 22 October 2026