How to Import Custom Clothing to South Korea: B2B Guide

How to import custom clothing to South Korea comes down to registering as an importer, classifying garments by HS code, paying customs duty that is often around 8–13% for apparel plus 10% VAT, using FTA or RCEP origin where eligible, and meeting Korean labelling rules. Ocean freight from China often takes 2–5 days port to port.

South Korea is a fast-moving fashion market with strong online retail, short trend cycles and demanding customers. Many Korean brands produce in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries, and overseas brands increasingly sell into Korea through local partners or online platforms. Importing is not complex if you plan it properly, but duty, VAT, origin, labelling and children's safety rules all need attention. This guide walks through landed cost and documents in the order you will meet them.

What does it mean to import custom clothing to South Korea?

To import custom clothing to South Korea is to bring garments made to your own design overseas into Korean customs territory as the importer of record, clearing them with the Korea Customs Service, paying duty that is often around 8–13% plus 10% VAT, and making sure products meet Korean labelling and safety rules before sale. With complete documents, clearance often takes 1–3 days after arrival.

Step 1: Set up as an importer

A Korean company with a business registration number can import in its own name and register with the customs system, UNI-PASS, usually through a licensed customs broker. Overseas brands without a Korean entity often work through a local distributor, an importer-of-record service or a forwarder offering delivered-duty-paid terms. Decide this first, because it affects who pays duty and VAT and who carries legal responsibility for labelling.

Step 2: Classify each garment

Classify each style under the Harmonized System, using Korea's 10-digit HSK code. Knitted garments fall under Chapter 61 and woven garments under Chapter 62. Fibre content, construction and gender can change the code. Wrong codes lead to wrong duty, delays and penalties, so share tech packs and fibre content with your broker. Good labels help here too; see our care label and fiber content compliance guide for how to document fibre content.

Step 3: Estimate duty and VAT

Many apparel lines carry a basic duty of around 13%, some lower. Korea generally values imports on a CIF basis, meaning goods value plus freight and insurance. VAT of 10% is then charged on the customs value plus duty. Registered businesses can usually reclaim import VAT, so the cash impact is temporary, but it still affects cash flow.

Step 4: Check FTA and RCEP origin

Korea has many free trade agreements, including with China, ASEAN, Vietnam, the US and the EU, and it is part of RCEP. Preferential duty applies only if the garments meet the agreement's rules of origin and you hold a valid certificate of origin or origin declaration. For garments, rules often depend on where fabric was made and where cutting and sewing took place. Ask your factory early whether it can issue origin documents and keep the supporting records.

Step 5: Prepare Korean labelling

Garments sold in Korea generally need Korean-language information on fibre content, country of origin, care, size and the responsible manufacturer or importer. Many brands attach a Korean sticker or swing tag after import, but sewing the information into the care label at the factory is cleaner and avoids rework. Confirm the latest requirements with your importer.

Step 6: Handle children's clothing safety

Products for children under 13 fall under Korea's children's product safety rules. Many children's clothing items need testing at an approved lab, a KC mark and specific labelling before sale, covering things like harmful substances, small parts and drawstrings. Build testing time into your calendar and keep reports available.

Step 7: Choose incoterms and freight

Most Korean importers buy FOB or EXW from Asian factories and use their own forwarder. Overseas brands often prefer DDP so the forwarder handles clearance and taxes. Read our FOB vs DDP pricing for apparel imports guide for the pricing logic, and our guide to choosing a freight forwarder for apparel imports to compare partners.

Want a price for your own version? Weavnora quotes imported tees and hoodies from a short brief: style, fabric, decoration and destination. Start your RFQ here or review the specs on our apparel importer programs page first.

DDP forwarder vs own customs broker: which option fits?

Who clears the goods is one of the biggest choices for a new importer. Compare the routes using these criteria.

The trade-offs are convenience against control and cost. DDP is simple for small or trial shipments, but it can hide costs and limit VAT recovery, while importing in your own name gives full control and better cost visibility once volumes grow.

Which documents should you prepare?

Prepare a commercial invoice with clear descriptions, HS codes and values; a packing list by carton; the bill of lading or air waybill; a certificate of origin if claiming preferences; and test reports for children's clothing. Match quantities and descriptions across all documents. Mismatches are a common cause of inspections and delays.

How do you calculate landed cost?

Add the factory price, freight, insurance, duty, VAT (if not reclaimable), broker and handling fees, local delivery, labelling or relabelling, and testing. Divide by the number of sellable units. Compare suppliers on this landed cost, not on factory price alone. For broader cost planning, see the hub linked below. Our Japan import guide follows the same logic for brands selling in both markets.

How should you plan sizes for the Korean market?

Korean customers often expect slimmer or more relaxed silhouettes depending on the trend, and size labels use chest or height measurements in centimetres alongside S, M and L. Adjust grading if your base patterns come from the US or Europe, and show measurements clearly on product pages. Online sellers usually publish detailed size charts with flat measurements, which reduces returns.

How does timing affect a Korea launch?

Korean fashion moves quickly, and online platforms favour frequent new arrivals. Short transit from China and Vietnam helps, but production still takes about 25–50 days after approval. Plan seasons around Korean weather: a long, cold winter, a humid summer and short spring and autumn seasons, with demand for outerwear starting early in autumn.

Common mistakes when importing clothing to Korea

• Assuming FTA duty rates without origin documents.
• Forgetting Korean-language labels until goods arrive.
• Missing KC testing for children's clothing.
• Choosing DDP without checking VAT recovery.
• Using vague product descriptions on invoices.

How to import custom clothing to South Korea: typical specs and key numbers

These are typical industry estimate ranges, not quotes; confirm actual figures with your supplier for your fabric, quantity and destination.

Key takeaways

• Decide who is importer of record before you order.
• Classify garments correctly and estimate duty plus 10% VAT.
• Use FTA or RCEP preferences only with valid origin documents.
• Prepare Korean labels and KC testing in advance.
• Compare suppliers on landed cost.

Plan your Korea imports with Weavnora

Weavnora supports brands with production and export documents for many markets. Read our apparel manufacturing cost and pricing hub, or contact us with your products, quantities and destination.

Request a quotation for imported tees and hoodies through the Weavnora RFQ form. Include style, GSM, decoration and destination, and see the apparel importer programs page for reference specs.