Shipping Hijabs: Freight, Customs & Duty

The single most common surprise a first-time hijab buyer runs into is not the factory price. It is the shipping and customs bill that shows up two weeks after the order is placed.

Factory FOB pricing is easy to compare across suppliers. Landed cost — what the product actually costs you once it clears customs at your warehouse door — is where deals silently break down. A $3.50 FOB hijab can land at $4.20 or at $6.80 depending on volume, shipping method, destination, HS code selection, and how well the factory handles export paperwork.

This guide walks through everything a wholesale buyer needs to understand before signing a first order: the real trade-off between air and sea freight, per-country duty rates for the main markets, the HS codes that matter for hijabs, incoterms in plain English, and a step-by-step landed cost calculation you can run yourself.

The air vs sea decision, without the fluff

Every buyer eventually asks "should I ship air or sea?" and the answer is not "it depends" — it is a specific numeric calculation.

When air freight actually makes sense

• Order under 100 kg total (roughly 300 hijabs)
• Samples of any size
• Any order where you need product in the destination country within 3 weeks
• Any Ramadan-window order placed after mid-October
• Rush replenishment on a bestseller that has stocked out

Air-freight cost via major couriers (DHL / FedEx / UPS) to most destinations runs $6-12 per kg for door-to-door. For a 300-pc jersey order weighing about 8-10 kg, total air freight cost is typically $60-140 — trivial per unit ($0.20-0.47 per hijab).

When sea freight actually makes sense

• Order 500+ pcs (roughly 15+ kg)
• You have 6-10 weeks of buffer before you need product in-country
• You are consolidating with other product categories to fill an LCL container
• Cost per unit is a significant part of your unit economics

Sea freight LCL (less-than-container-load) to major ports costs $70-150 per cubic metre. For a 500-pc order occupying about 0.3 CBM, total sea freight cost is $25-50 — extremely low per unit ($0.05-0.10 per hijab).

The tipping point calculation

At roughly 300 pcs of jersey hijabs, air freight and sea freight land at similar total cost — but with completely different transit times (5-8 days vs 30-40 days). Below 300 pcs, air is almost always the right answer because sea's fixed costs (LCL fee, port handling, customs broker) eat any per-unit savings. Above 500 pcs, sea starts to win on unit economics unless timeline forces air.

FCL (full container) territory

Full 20-foot container: roughly 5,000-8,000 hijab pieces depending on packaging, or 25-30 CBM capacity. Cost from Yiwu-adjacent ports (Shanghai, Ningbo) to major world ports typically $1,500-3,500. Unit economics beat LCL clearly above 3,000-4,000 pcs. Only relevant to established brands or wholesale distributors ordering multi-thousand piece runs.

Country-by-country import duty on hijabs

Duty rates vary meaningfully. Here are the current rates for the main hijab wholesale destination countries in 2026. These change occasionally — always confirm with your customs broker before a large first order.

United States

• HS 6117.10 (knitted or crocheted scarves, shawls, veils of cotton): duty-free from most MFN trading partners, typically 0%
• HS 6117.80 (knitted accessories of man-made fibres): typically 5.0-11.3%
• HS 6214.10 (silk woven scarves): 1.2-3.0%
• HS 6214.20 (wool or fine animal hair woven scarves): 6.5-11.3%
• HS 6214.30 (synthetic-fibre woven scarves): 5.3-11.3%
• HS 6214.40 (artificial-fibre woven scarves): 5.3-11.3%
• Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin textiles: check current rates and any pending policy changes
• De minimis threshold: has been under active reform in 2025-2026 — verify current rules with your customs broker before shipping

United Kingdom

• HS 6117 (knitted scarves): typically 0% MFN
• HS 6214 (woven scarves): typically 8-12% MFN depending on subheading
• VAT: 20% import VAT on landed value, reclaimable if VAT-registered
• No de minimis for commercial imports since Brexit reforms

European Union

• HS 6117 knitted scarves: typically 0% MFN
• HS 6214 woven scarves: typically 8% MFN
• VAT varies by country: Germany 19%, France 20%, Italy 22%, Netherlands 21%, Spain 21%, Poland 23%
• No de minimis for commercial imports

Canada

• Most textile scarves under HS 6117 or 6214: typically 15-18% Most-Favoured-Nation rate, dropping to 0% for products qualifying under CPTPP or CUSMA
• GST/HST: 5-15% depending on province

Australia

• Textile scarves: typically 5% general duty rate under HS 6117 and 6214
• GST: 10% on landed value plus duty
• Australia has a A$1,000 low-value threshold — commercial imports above this trigger full customs process

GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman)

• Uniform 5% GCC Common Customs Tariff on most textile products
• VAT: 5% (UAE, Bahrain, Oman), 15% (Saudi Arabia), 0% (Kuwait, Qatar)
• Saudi Arabia additionally requires SASO conformity certificate for many HS codes

Malaysia and Indonesia

• Malaysia: typically 10-20% duty on textile scarves depending on HS code
• Indonesia: typically 10-15% duty, plus 10% VAT
• Both markets have active textile tariff review — confirm current rates

Turkey

• Textile scarves: 12-17% duty for most HS codes, plus VAT typically 18%
• Turkey has significant local hijab production, so imports face higher effective barriers

The HS code question actually matters

The single biggest self-inflicted cost that new buyers create is misclassification. HS (Harmonized System) codes determine duty rate, and hijabs sit in a genuinely ambiguous zone that a smart classification can significantly reduce cost.

Common hijab HS codes and when each applies

• 6117.10.xx — knitted scarves, shawls, mufflers, veils. Most jersey hijabs fall here. Often 0% duty into US/EU/UK.
• 6117.80.xx — knitted made-up accessories. Instant hijabs (one-piece slip-on styles) sometimes get classified here rather than as scarves.
• 6214.10.xx — silk woven scarves
• 6214.20.xx — wool woven scarves
• 6214.30.xx — synthetic-fibre woven scarves (polyester chiffon usually classified here)
• 6214.40.xx — artificial-fibre woven scarves (viscose or modal-blend chiffon)

A single "hijab" invoice might legitimately span three or four HS codes depending on fabric composition and construction. Getting each SKU classified into its correct code is where a $200 customs broker consultation pays for itself many times over.

What triggers a customs re-classification (which is bad news)

• Vague or generic invoice descriptions ("women's headwear" — customs officers pick a code, sometimes the worst-case one)
• Mismatched HS code between commercial invoice and packing list
• Physical inspection revealing composition different from declared
• Photo of product on packaging suggesting a different category (e.g., "instant sport hijab" packaging may push classification toward sports accessories at higher duty)

The fix: write specific, honest invoice descriptions with fabric composition and construction detail. "Bamboo Viscose 95% Elastane 5% Knitted Jersey Scarf" is unambiguous. "Fashion Hijab" is trouble waiting to happen.

Incoterms in plain English

The commercial invoice will specify an incoterm — a three-letter code that determines who pays for what and where risk transfers between seller and buyer. Most first-time buyers see terms like "FOB Yiwu" or "DDP" without knowing what they really mean. Quick decoder:

• EXW (Ex Works): Buyer picks up from the factory door in China. Buyer pays all shipping, insurance, export clearance, import clearance. Rarely used for hijab wholesale.
• FOB (Free On Board): Seller delivers to port of departure and clears export. Buyer pays sea freight, insurance, and all import costs. Most common for sea-freight orders.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): Seller pays sea freight and insurance to destination port. Buyer clears import and pays destination charges. Common for buyers who don't want to arrange freight themselves.
• DAP (Delivered At Place): Seller pays freight all the way to buyer's warehouse. Buyer only pays import duty and taxes at customs. Very common for air freight.
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): Seller pays everything including import duty and taxes. Buyer receives product with no additional cost. Highest per-unit price but simplest for buyer.

For a first-order small shipment: DAP or DDP is easiest — you know the total cost upfront and don't have to deal with customs paperwork.

For a scaling business: FOB with your own freight forwarder typically saves 10-20% on total shipping cost because you can shop rates independently.

The step-by-step landed cost calculation

Every buyer should be able to calculate landed cost themselves before signing a purchase order. Here is the exact formula, applied to a realistic example.

Example: 500 pcs bamboo jersey hijabs to US

• Factory FOB: $3.60 × 500 = $1,800
• Sea freight LCL Yiwu → Los Angeles (0.3 CBM): $95
• Origin charges (Chinese port handling, documentation, THC): $85
• Destination charges (US port handling, ISF filing, warehouse): $150
• Customs broker fee: $125
• US import duty (0% for HS 6117.10 cotton-jersey classification): $0
• Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): $30 (0.3464% of $1,800, min $27.75)
• Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF): $2.25 (0.125% of $1,800)
• Truck delivery port → warehouse: $180
• Total landed cost: $2,467
• Per-unit landed cost: $4.93 per hijab

That's a 37% markup over factory FOB — normal for a first sea-freight order of this size. Larger orders proportionally cheaper (fixed costs spread over more units); smaller orders more expensive per unit.

Same order by air freight (for comparison)

• Factory FOB: $3.60 × 500 = $1,800
• DHL Express door-to-door for ~15 kg total: $180
• US import duty: $0
• Customs broker fee: often waived under de minimis for smaller air shipments (verify current threshold)
• Total landed cost: ~$1,980
• Per-unit landed cost: $3.96 per hijab

At 500 pcs, air actually beats sea on unit cost because sea's fixed costs (LCL fee, port handling both ends, broker) exceed the freight savings. This is the tipping-point calculation that trips up new buyers who assume "sea is always cheaper for bulk."

At 2,000 pcs, sea wins clearly

• Factory FOB: $3.60 × 2,000 = $7,200
• Sea freight LCL (1.2 CBM): $155
• Origin and destination charges: $250
• Customs broker: $125
• Duty: $0
• MPF + HMF: $34
• Truck delivery: $180
• Total landed cost: $7,944
• Per-unit landed cost: $3.97 per hijab

Same per-unit as air at 500 pcs, but at 4x the volume. Sea freight starts winning meaningfully above ~800-1,000 pcs.

The seven common shipping mistakes new hijab buyers make

• Assuming sea freight is always cheapest. Not below 500 pcs. Calculate both, don't assume.
• Ignoring destination charges. LCL sea freight quotes often exclude origin and destination port handling — the "delivery bill" at destination can double the stated freight cost.
• Not budgeting for customs broker fee. $100-200 per shipment is standard. Not optional for sea freight.
• Accepting generic HS classifications. A $200 customs broker consultation before your first bulk order can save 10-15% on ongoing duty across all future orders.
• Trusting suppliers who quote all-inclusive DDP without breakdown. Some DDP quotes hide significant markups on the freight and duty components. Ask for itemised breakdowns.
• Underestimating December customs delays. All major destinations experience 20-40% longer clearance times mid-December through early January due to holiday backlog. Plan pre-Ramadan orders to arrive by early December to avoid this.
• Not insuring shipments. LCL sea freight sometimes involves other people's cargo damaging your product in transit. Insurance costs 0.3-0.5% of cargo value and is worth it every time.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to ship hijabs from China to the US?

For 200-500 pcs by air freight (DHL/FedEx/UPS): $60-180 total, or $0.20-0.60 per hijab. For 500-2,000 pcs by sea LCL: $400-800 total, or $0.30-0.80 per hijab. Above 3,000 pcs by FCL: often under $0.30 per hijab. Actual cost varies with weight, dimensions, port, and current freight rate environment.

What is the import duty on hijabs coming into the US?

Depends on HS classification. Cotton or cotton-blend knitted scarves under HS 6117.10 are typically 0% duty from MFN partners. Synthetic knitted or woven scarves under HS 6117.80 or 6214.30 can be 5-11% duty. Confirm exact classification with a customs broker for your specific product before your first bulk order.

How long does sea freight take from China to the US?

Yiwu → Los Angeles: 22-30 days port-to-port. Yiwu → New York/New Jersey: 32-40 days port-to-port. Add 5-10 days for customs clearance and last-mile trucking. Total door-to-door: 28-50 days depending on destination coast and season.

How long does air freight take from China to the US?

5-8 days door-to-door via major express carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) to any major US city. Standard air freight (consolidated) takes 10-15 days. Air freight is the right choice for orders under 100 kg and any time-sensitive shipment.

What is de minimis and how does it affect hijab imports?

De minimis is the low-value threshold below which shipments enter a country duty-free. The US has historically used $800 per person per day, but this has been under active reform in 2025-2026. Always verify the current de minimis threshold for your destination country with a customs broker before shipping — assumptions based on old rules can produce unexpected duty bills.

Which incoterm should I use for a first hijab order?

For simplicity, DAP or DDP — the seller handles all shipping and (in DDP's case) duty. For scaling operations, FOB with your own freight forwarder — you control freight cost and can shop competitive rates. Never use EXW unless you have deep China logistics experience.

Do I need a customs broker for every shipment?

For air freight under de minimis threshold: often not required. For sea freight of any size: strongly recommended, usually mandatory. For any shipment above $2,500 commercial value: virtually always required. Broker fees are $100-200 per shipment and prevent expensive customs mistakes.

What is a Merchandise Processing Fee?

US Customs charges an MPF of 0.3464% of merchandise value, minimum $27.75, maximum roughly $538 per entry. Applied to formal entries above $2,500. Not a duty — a processing fee that applies regardless of duty rate.

How do I calculate exact landed cost before placing an order?

Sum: (1) Factory FOB × quantity + (2) freight cost + (3) origin/destination port charges + (4) customs broker fee + (5) import duty (rate × merchandise value) + (6) fees like MPF/HMF for US + (7) VAT/GST if applicable + (8) last-mile delivery to warehouse. Add 5-10% contingency buffer for exchange rate fluctuation and unexpected charges.

Should I insure my hijab shipment?

Yes, always. Cargo insurance costs 0.3-0.5% of shipment value and covers loss, damage, or theft in transit. For a $2,000 shipment, insurance is $6-10 — trivial protection against complete loss.

Which port is best for shipping hijabs to Europe?

Rotterdam (Netherlands) is the largest and most efficient European port — handles most Yiwu-Europe container traffic. Hamburg (Germany) is close second for Northern European destinations. Felixstowe (UK) for direct UK shipments. Antwerp (Belgium) sometimes offers lower LCL rates. Barcelona/Valencia for Southern Europe. Freight forwarders can usually route to whichever port has best current rates.

What happens if my HS code is challenged at customs?

Customs officer requests inspection or additional documentation. Your broker submits supporting evidence (fabric composition test report, product photos, manufacturer specification sheets). Officer decides: accept your classification, or reclassify to a different code with different (usually higher) duty. Process typically takes 1-3 additional business days. Prevention: use specific product descriptions on your invoice, ensure fabric composition matches declared code, keep test reports on hand.

Your next step

If you are planning a hijab wholesale order and want to calculate accurate landed cost before you commit, we can help. At QIUYAN we ship worldwide from our own 3,200 m² Yiwu factory to buyers in the US, UK, EU, GCC, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Australia. We handle export documentation professionally, provide accurate HS classification recommendations, and can quote FOB, CIF, DAP, or DDP terms depending on what fits your operations.

Tell us your destination country and rough order size — request a landed-cost quotation alongside your product samples and we'll reply within 24 hours with itemised freight options, expected duty rates, transit times, and total landed cost per unit. See our about page for factory detail and prior international customer references on request.