Importing Textiles and Garments to Colombia: Tariffs, FTAs, and Customs Process

The textile and garment sector is one of the most tariff-protected in Colombia. Unlike industrial machinery or manufacturing inputs, which in many cases have 0% tariffs, fabrics, yarns, textiles, and especially finished garments face tariffs between 10% and 40% when imported from countries without a trade agreement with Colombia, such as China, Bangladesh, or Pakistan.

This tariff protection reflects the historical importance of the textile and garment sector in the Colombian economy, especially in regions such as Antioquia, Bogotá, and Valle del Cauca. However, for Colombian companies that need to import fabrics, inputs, or garments from abroad—whether because they are not produced in Colombia, offer a price advantage, or complement their production line—understanding exactly how the tariff system works, which FTAs can be leveraged, and what additional requirements the DIAN (Tax and Customs Authority) applies is essential to correctly calculate costs and avoid operational surprises.

This guide covers everything you need to know to import textiles and garments to Colombia correctly and efficiently in 2026.

Tariff Classification of Textiles and Garments in Colombia

Textiles and garments are mainly distributed across chapters 50 to 63 of the Colombian Customs Tariff, which correspond to Section XI of the Harmonized System. Each chapter groups products by fiber type or item type:

The tariff structure is tiered: raw materials (raw fibers, basic yarns) have lower tariffs than fabrics, and fabrics have lower tariffs than finished garments. This tariff escalation seeks to specifically protect the national garment industry, which generates the most employment in the sector.

Specific Tariffs: From Fiber to Finished Garment

To provide a more concrete view of how the tariff varies across the textile value chain, the following specific rates for products commonly used in the industry are presented:

The table shows the overwhelming impact of FTAs: a cotton T-shirt imported from China pays a 40% tariff. The same T-shirt, if it originates from the United States or the European Union and comes with the corresponding certificate of origin, enters with a 0% tariff. On a USD 30,000 CIF import of T-shirts, the difference is USD 12,000 in tariffs alone, before VAT.

The Import Registry: Special Requirement for Textiles and Garments

Textiles and garments are one of the product categories for which Colombia requires a prior Import Registry (RI) before the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, managed through the VUCE (Single Window for Foreign Trade). This is one of the aspects that most differentiates the importation of textiles from ordinary general cargo.

The Import Registry is an authorization that the importer must obtain before the shipment of the goods. It is not an additional tariff or a quota permit: it is a statistical monitoring and trade policy instrument that allows the Ministry to monitor the sector's import volumes and activate trade defense measures when massive imports or dumping prices are detected.

Which products require an Import Registry in textiles?

The Import Registry applies to most products classified in chapters 50 to 63 of the Tariff, including:

• Yarns and fabrics of any fiber (cotton, polyester, nylon, wool, silk)
• Finished garments of any fiber (chapters 61 and 62)
• Home textiles (chapter 63): bed linen, towels, tablecloths, curtains
• Technical fabrics and nonwoven fabrics
• Lace, embroidery, and special fabrics

How is the Import Registry obtained?

The Import Registry is requested through the VUCE portal (www.vuce.gov.co). The importer must be registered on the platform and submit product information (tariff subheading, description, quantity, value, country of origin, and supplier) along with the foreign supplier's pro forma invoice. The Ministry's response time to approve the RI is generally between 1 and 5 business days for ordinary requests.

The Import Registry is valid for six months and can be modified if the shipment conditions change. It is important that the RI information matches the final commercial invoice and the import declaration before the DIAN exactly, as discrepancies are grounds for official inquiries.

Textile Visas and Trade Defense Measures

In addition to the general tariff and the Import Registry, the importation of textiles and garments in Colombia may be subject to additional trade defense measures:

Safeguard Measures

Colombia has historically applied safeguard measures on massive imports of textiles and garments, especially from China. These measures establish an additional tariff (above the general tariff) applied when the volume of imports of a specific product exceeds certain thresholds and causes damage to the national industry. Before importing any category of textile or garment in significant volume, verify with your customs agent if there are any safeguard measures or anti-dumping duties in effect for that subheading and origin.

Anti-dumping Duties

Colombia has imposed anti-dumping duties on certain categories of garments imported from China at prices considered to be dumping (below the cost of production). These duties are additional to the general tariff and can represent between 5% and 30% additional on the CIF value. The list of affected subheadings and specific percentages are updated by Ministry of Commerce resolutions and must be verified before each import.

FTAs for Textiles: The Largest Available Benefit

As the tariff table shows, Colombia's current FTAs can reduce the tariff on textiles and garments from 40% to 0%. However, FTAs in the textile sector have particularly strict rules of origin that the importer must understand before assuming their merchandise qualifies.

"Yarn Forward" Rule

The Colombia–US FTA applies the rule of origin known as "yarn forward" to the textile sector. This rule establishes that for a garment or fabric to qualify as originating from the United States, all the fibers composing it must have been spun in the United States or Colombia, and the weaving and garment-making operations must also have occurred in one of those two countries.

This means that a T-shirt manufactured in the US with cotton fabric woven in Peru or with yarn from China, even if it was completely sewn on US territory, does not qualify for the Colombia–US FTA under the yarn forward rule. For Colombian importers, this implies that not all textile products purchased in the US can benefit from the 0% tariff.

Verification of the rule of origin is the Colombian importer's responsibility: if they declare a 0% tariff by presenting a certificate of origin that later turns out to be incorrect because the goods did not meet the yarn forward rule, the DIAN can charge the general tariff plus penalties.

FTA with the European Union

The Colombia–EU Trade Agreement also offers a 0% tariff for textiles and garments originating from EU countries. The rules of origin in the agreement with Europe are somewhat more flexible than those in the US FTA, but they still require that the product's transformation has substantially occurred within European territory. Textiles manufactured in Bangladesh or Cambodia and re-exported from Europe do not qualify for the Colombia–EU agreement.

Andean Community (CAN)

Imports of textiles and garments originating from Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia have preferential access to the Colombian market under the framework of the Andean Community of Nations. These imports have a 0% tariff, and the origin certification requirements are relatively simple: the CAN certificate of origin issued by the chamber of commerce or authorized entity of the country of origin.

Documents Required to Import Textiles and Garments into Colombia

• Valid Import Registry (RI): obtained from the Ministry of Commerce through the VUCE before shipment. This is the differentiating document for this category compared to ordinary general cargo.
• Commercial Invoice: with a detailed description of the product: fiber type, percentage composition, fabric type (woven, knitted, non-woven), weight per square meter (g/m²) for fabrics, sizes and colors for finished garments, and brand if applicable. The DIAN requires that the description on the invoice be specific enough to verify the declared tariff classification.
• Packing List: specifying the number of boxes, pieces per box, gross and net weight, and references or SKUs of the products. For garments with multiple sizes and colors, the packing list must break down the distribution by size and color in each box.
• Bill of Lading (BL) or Air Waybill (AWB): depending on the transport mode used.
• Cargo Insurance Policy: mandatory for calculating the VAT tax base before the DIAN.
• Certificate of Origin: if the importer wants to access the tariff preferences of an FTA. It must be issued by the authorized entity in the country of origin and certify that the merchandise complies with the rules of origin of the applicable agreement.
• Reference Price Report (when requested by DIAN): for textiles and garments from China or other origins suspected of under-invoicing, the DIAN may request additional documentation to support the declared price: payment confirmations, bank statements, supply contracts, or market price comparisons.

DIAN Price Control in Textiles: Customs Valuation

The textile and garment sector is one of those that receives the most attention from the DIAN regarding customs valuation. Under-invoicing—declaring prices lower than actual to pay less tariff and VAT—has been a historical practice in garment imports from Asia, leading the DIAN to develop specific control mechanisms for this category.

The DIAN has tables of minimum reference prices for certain textile products imported from China, based on which it verifies if the declared price is reasonably consistent with the market. If the declared price is significantly lower than the reference price, the DIAN may:

• Assign a yellow or red channel for documentary or physical inspection.
• Request additional documentation to support the declared price.
• Re-liquidate taxes based on reference prices if the declared price cannot be justified.

For the honest importer who buys at real market prices, the best protection against these controls is to have complete documentation of the payment to the supplier (bank transfers, letters of credit, SWIFT confirmations) and a consistent history of operations with the customs agent.

Import Logistics for Textiles: Special Considerations

Container Type and Stowage

Textiles are high-volume, low-weight-per-unit goods. This relationship makes the 40-foot High Cube container the most efficient option for most fabric and garment imports, as it maximizes volumetric capacity without approaching the weight limit. A standard 20-foot container often fills up by volume before reaching its weight limit when transporting fabric in rolls or garments in boxes.

Humidity Protection

Fabrics and garments are sensitive to humidity during maritime transit. Condensation inside the container can cause stains, mold, and finish deterioration, especially in cotton or viscose fabrics. Prevention measures include using polyethylene bags or stretch film to wrap fabric rolls, using desiccants inside the container, and packing garments in well-sealed boxes with absorbent material.

Air Import for Urgent Collections

The fashion and garment sector has very short seasonal cycles. A collection that arrives two weeks late can lose its sales window. For this reason, it is common for fashion importers or brand distributors to use air freight for seasonal launches or urgent replenishments, assuming the higher air freight cost as part of the opportunity cost of selling at the right market moment.

Total Cost Example: Importing Garments from China vs. from the US

To illustrate the combined impact of tariff and freight on the choice of purchase origin, two import scenarios for knitted garments (T-shirts and sweatshirts) with an FOB value of USD 20,000 destined for Medellín are compared below:

The example shows that although the FOB price is identical in both origins, importing from China is 51% more expensive in total cost than importing from the US with the FTA applied. In practice, this means that the Chinese supplier would have to offer a considerably lower FOB price than the North American supplier for the import from China to be competitive in total cost. This analysis—which very few importers do systematically—is one of the most profitable in international procurement management for the textile sector.

Note: reference exchange rate of COP 4,100 per dollar. Values are reference estimates for 2026.

Case Study: Medellín Manufacturer Reduces Fabric Import Cost by 23%

A garment company in Medellín was importing knitted fabrics (polyester-cotton jersey and rib) from China under CIF Incoterms. It did not have a valid Import Registry in advance, which caused delays of 3 to 5 business days at the start of each operation while the RI was processed. The tariff it paid was 20% on the CIF value.

Upon reviewing its operation with Nextstop Group, the following adjustments were implemented:

• Identification that the polyester-cotton knitted fabrics being imported could be obtained in Peru with equivalent qualities. By importing them under the Andean Community agreement with a 0% tariff (compared to 20% from China), the tariff savings represented USD 18,000 in the first year for the volume of that reference.
• Change of Incoterm from CIF to FOB for imports that continued from China (technical nylon fabrics not available in the CAN), with 14% savings on the freight component.
• Implementation of a system of Import Registries opened in advance for each season, eliminating processing delays and reducing clearance time from 7 days to an average of 2 days.
• Total reduction of fabric import costs by 23% in the first year, with reinvestment in a greater variety of imported references.

Frequently Asked Questions about Importing Textiles and Garments into Colombia

Is the Import Registry the same as an additional tariff?

No. The Import Registry is not a tax and does not generate any additional cost on the merchandise. It is a prior administrative authorization that the Ministry of Commerce uses to register and monitor the sector's import volumes. However, if it is not obtained before shipment, the goods may be held at the port until the RI is approved, generating storage costs and operational delays.

Can I import fabrics from China without an Import Registry?

No, for the vast majority of textile subheadings. The Import Registry is mandatory for products in chapters 50 to 63 of the Tariff when the importer wants to carry out a formal importation before the DIAN. Attempting to import textiles without the corresponding RI results in the seizure of the goods and administrative penalties for the importer. Your customs agent can verify if your specific product requires an RI and process it with you before shipment.

Do technical and industrial fabrics also pay high tariffs?

It depends on the fabric type. Technical industrial fabrics—such as geotextiles, filter fabrics, airbag fabrics, or impregnated fabrics for industrial use—generally have lower tariffs than garment fabrics, in the range of 5% to 15%. Some technical fabrics may be classified outside chapters 50–63, in chapters such as 39 (plastics) or 68 (mineral materials), depending on their composition and use, with potentially lower tariffs. Correct tariff classification for technical fabrics requires special attention to product specifications.

Can I re-import garments made in Colombia with imported fabrics?

If a company exports fabrics or other textile inputs to be manufactured abroad and then re-imports the finished garments to Colombia, it can use the temporary import regime for outward processing. This regime allows for the temporary export of inputs, the garment-making process to occur abroad, and the re-importation of the finished product paying taxes only on the value added abroad (the garment manufacturing labor), not on the Colombian inputs that already paid taxes upon entering the country. It is a complex regime that requires specialized advice, but it can be very convenient for companies that outsource manufacturing abroad.

How do I verify if there is an anti-dumping measure in effect for the textiles I want to import?

Current anti-dumping measures in Colombia are published in resolutions by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism and in the Official Gazette. The most practical way to verify them is to consult directly with your customs agent, who has updated access to these resolutions and can verify if any measure is in effect for the tariff subheading and specific country of origin of your import. This verification must be done before confirming the order with the supplier, not after shipment.

Conclusion

Importing textiles and garments to Colombia is an operation that requires more preparation and specific knowledge than importing ordinary general cargo. The prior Import Registry, tariffs that can reach 40% for finished garments from countries without an FTA, possible anti-dumping measures, and strict FTA rules of origin make this category demand a higher level of planning and specialized advice.

At the same time, optimization opportunities are very significant. An importer who leverages the US or EU FTA for their garments, obtains the Import Registry in advance, works under FOB with an efficient freight forwarder, and systematically verifies if there is an origin alternative in the CAN can reduce their total import cost very substantially compared to someone who imports without any of these optimizations.

If your company imports or plans to import textiles or garments and wants a review of its cost structure and the tariff benefits available for its specific portfolio, contact us and our team will perform an analysis without obligation.