Duty is on FOB, not freight
Australia values goods at FOB. The general rate on cotton knitwear is 5%; styles from Nepal that meet the LDC rule enter Free. Check your style.
A$ landed cost · duty · GST · order-by dates
Australia import duty & GST calculator for clothing
Enter a price, quantity and freight to see what a piece costs in Australian dollars, then pick the date you need stock and see when to order.
Landed cost per piece, in A$
A$5.33 before GST
A$5.86 including 10% GST.
- Goods (FOB)
- A$4.80
- Freight and insurance
- A$0.52
- Duty (0% of FOB)
- A$0.00
- Broker, port and delivery
- A$0.00
- GST (10% on goods + freight + duty)
- A$0.53
Whole order of 3,000 pieces: A$15,975 before GST, plus A$1,598 GST, which a GST-registered business can usually claim back (check with your accountant).
At the 5% general rate the duty would be A$0.24 a piece, so the LDC rate saves about A$720 on this order.
Order-by calendar
When do we need to start?
Place the order by 3 Oct 2026 (best case 10 Nov 2026)
That date has passed. Ask us about air freight or a smaller first lot to catch this season.
- 1. Sample made (tech pack reviewed first)3 Oct 2026 → 17 Oct 2026 · 14 days (best case 7)
- 2. Sample courier to you17 Oct 2026 → 24 Oct 2026 · 7 days (best case 3)
- 3. You review and approve the sample24 Oct 2026 → 31 Oct 2026 · 7 days (best case 2)
- 4. Bulk production, dispatched after approval31 Oct 2026 → 30 Nov 2026 · 30 days (best case 25)
- 5. Trucking to Kolkata or Haldia, then sea freight to Australia30 Nov 2026 → 25 Jan 2027 · 56 days (best case 42)
- 6. Customs clearance and delivery to your warehouse25 Jan 2027 → 1 Feb 2027 · 7 days (best case 4)
Typical times from our factory, with the sea leg taken as 6–8 weeks ex-factory to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. They are estimates, not a promise: your forwarder confirms the sailing, and fabric or colour changes can add days. Total 121 days on the safe plan, 83 in the best case.
Illustrative, not our quote. Costs and dates change with your style, fabric and sailing: see the Australia buyer page or check the 0% rule for your style.
What Australian importers should know
Four things that decide your landed cost.
GST is charged on top of duty
10% of FOB plus freight plus duty, so a Free rate also saves the GST that would have been charged on the duty. Registered businesses usually claim it back.
Care labels are mandatory
Clothing sold in Australia needs care instructions in English, the five international symbols, or both. We sew compliant labels as part of private-label finishing.
Your seasons run opposite to Europe’s
Winter stock is made in the northern spring. Start from the date you need stock in your warehouse and work back, as the calendar above does. Read the full Australia guide.
Questions
Straight answers.
How much import duty do clothes pay into Australia?
Australia’s general rate on cotton knitwear (T-shirts, polos, sweatshirts) is 5%, charged on the FOB value without international freight. Goods made in a least developed country such as Nepal enter Free if at least 50% of total factory cost is allowable. We check that for each style before you claim it, so you know the rate before you order.
How is GST on imported clothing calculated?
GST is 10% of the value of the taxable importation: the customs (FOB) value, plus international freight and insurance, plus any duty. The calculator shows this line by line. A business registered for GST can usually claim it back as a credit, so confirm your position with your accountant or customs broker.
What costs does the calculator leave out?
Broker, port, terminal and delivery charges, which you enter from a forwarder’s quote, and any import processing charge your broker passes on. The A$ per US$ rate is an example to replace with your bank’s or the Australian Border Force rate on the day. Until you add those, the result is lower than your real cost.
How long from order to my warehouse?
Allow about 17 weeks with a new sample: sample 7–14 days, courier and approval up to two weeks, bulk dispatched 25–30 days after approval, 6–8 weeks by sea, then clearance. With an approved sample it is about 13 weeks. Best case is a few weeks shorter; your forwarder confirms the sailing.
When should I order for the Australian autumn/winter season?
Work back from the date stock must be in your warehouse. For an autumn/winter range landing on 1 February, a new-sample order starts in early October; with an approved sample, in early November. Australian winter stock is made while Europe is in spring, so the order window is the northern spring and early summer.
Is Nepal cheaper than other origins into Australia?
Not on duty. India, China and Vietnam can also enter at 0% under trade agreements, so duty does not decide the supplier. What we offer Australian buyers is a trial order from 200 pieces per style and colour (1,000 per order), dispatch 25–30 days after sample approval, replies within 12 hours and clear origin paperwork.
What is the minimum order for Australian buyers?
Each style and colour starts at 200 pieces, with at least 1,000 pieces in the order. New importers and brands are welcome to start with a trial order and grow from there. The factory makes 40,000–50,000 pieces a month, so a range can scale without changing supplier.
Sources & last verified
Page facts checked
We link every trade claim to the body that publishes it — official sources first. Rules change; if you spot something out of date, tell us.
- 01 Care labelling for clothing and textiles mandatory standard (Consumer Goods (Care Labelling) Information Standard 2023): English instructions, the five international care symbols, or both ACCC – Product Safety Australia · official · checked 28 Sept 2026
- 02 Working tariff – Schedule 3, Section XI, Chapter 61 Australian Border Force · official · checked 24 Sept 2026
- 03 Preferential Rules of Origin – guide to claiming preferential rates under non-FTA arrangements (LDC rule, s153NA; 25% cap on non-LDC developing-country materials) Australian Border Force · official · checked 24 Sept 2026
- 04 GST and other taxes: 10% GST on the value of the taxable importation (customs value + duty + transport and insurance to Australia) Australian Border Force · official · checked 28 Sept 2026
Namaste — let’s talk
Want an Australian-dollar quote?
Send your styles, quantity and port. We’ll confirm FOB or delivered pricing and whether the 0% rate applies, usually within 12 hours.
No WhatsApp and rather not email? Request a call-back and we’ll phone you.