Import/export HS code 550490: Various artificial staple fibers
Unprocessed synthetic fibers not specified elsewhere, used in textile production
Why this is important if you are looking for potential customers in the UK:
- It helps you understand the market size for your product in the UK.
- It provides you with a list of potential leads who have bought similar products.
* UK only, last 24 months analysed
Imports by country
What this shows: Import market volume by exporter country into the UK.
Top 5 values
| Country | £ |
|---|---|
| Austria | 490,401 |
| Spain | 202,164 |
| China | 168,134 |
| France | 52,457 |
| Netherlands | 44,531 |
Countries rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months
What this shows: Countries are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month volume, right side by second 12-month volume, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| Country | First 12m £ | Second 12m £ | Delta £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 163,048 | 327,353 | +164,305 |
| Spain | 32,062 | 170,102 | +138,040 |
| China | 88,387 | 79,747 | -8,640 |
| France | 52,457 | 0 | -52,457 |
| Netherlands | 40,675 | 3,856 | -36,819 |
| South Korea | 40,147 | 0 | -40,147 |
| Belgium | 21,352 | 0 | -21,352 |
| Germany | 19,862 | 0 | -19,862 |
| United States | 3,135 | 10,262 | +7,127 |
| Japan | 4,349 | 0 | -4,349 |
Imports by country of origin
What this shows: Import volume by production origin country. Differences from exporter-country data can indicate re-export routes.
Top 5 values
| Origin | £ |
|---|---|
| Austria | 531,076 |
| Italy | 258,966 |
| China | 168,134 |
| Taiwan | 40,147 |
| Belgium | 21,352 |
Country of origin rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months
What this shows: Origin countries are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| Origin | First 12m £ | Second 12m £ | Delta £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 203,723 | 327,353 | +123,630 |
| Italy | 84,519 | 174,447 | +89,928 |
| China | 88,387 | 79,747 | -8,640 |
| Taiwan | 40,147 | 0 | -40,147 |
| Belgium | 21,352 | 0 | -21,352 |
| United Kingdom | 18,300 | 0 | -18,300 |
| United States | 3,135 | 8,857 | +5,722 |
| Japan | 4,349 | 0 | -4,349 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 3,856 | +3,856 |
| India | 0 | 1,734 | +1,734 |
Importers across UK regions
What this shows: Number of importing companies by UK ITL2 region.
Top 5 values
| UK region | Companies |
|---|---|
| Cheshire | 2 |
| West Yorkshire | 2 |
| Cumbria | 1 |
| Essex | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | 1 |
UK regions rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months
What this shows: UK regions are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month importer count, right side by second 12-month importer count, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| UK region | First 12m | Second 12m | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | 1 | 2 | +1 |
| West Yorkshire | 2 | 2 | +0 |
| Cumbria | 0 | 1 | +1 |
| Essex | 1 | 1 | +0 |
| Greater Manchester | 1 | 1 | +0 |
| Inner London - West | 0 | 1 | +1 |
| Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire | 1 | 1 | +0 |
Import volume by transport
What this shows: Import value by transport mode used to bring goods into the UK.
Top 5 values
| Transport | £ |
|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 833,550 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 153,660 |
| Air transport | 75,663 |
Transport rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months
What this shows: Transport modes are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| Transport | First 12m £ | Second 12m £ | Delta £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roll on Roll off (RORO) | 327,894 | 505,656 | +177,762 |
| Sea transport (not vehicle on ferry) | 77,477 | 76,183 | -1,294 |
| Air transport | 60,103 | 15,560 | -44,543 |
Import volume by port
What this shows: Import value handled by each UK port.
Top 5 values
| Port | £ |
|---|---|
| Eurotunnel | 355,810 |
| Dover | 303,661 |
| Felixstowe | 139,206 |
| Portsmouth | 84,519 |
| Southampton | 43,045 |
Port rank shift: first 12 months vs second 12 months
What this shows: Ports are on both sides of the Sankey. Left side is sorted by first 12-month import value, right side by second 12-month import value, so rank changes are visible from line crossings.
Top 10 values
| Port | First 12m £ | Second 12m £ | Delta £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eurotunnel | 146,715 | 209,095 | +62,380 |
| Dover | 16,333 | 287,328 | +270,995 |
| Felixstowe | 65,921 | 73,285 | +7,364 |
| Portsmouth | 84,519 | 0 | -84,519 |
| Southampton | 40,147 | 2,898 | -37,249 |
| Manchester Airport | 25,850 | 5,746 | -20,104 |
| Immingham Docks | 18,300 | 3,856 | -14,444 |
| London Heathrow Airport | 18,705 | 2,929 | -15,776 |
| ZLC | 21,352 | 0 | -21,352 |
| Birmingham Airport | 8,064 | 0 | -8,064 |
Importer companies by SIC division
What this shows: Industry breakdown (SIC divisions) of importing companies.
Top 5 values
| SIC | Companies |
|---|---|
| Manufacture of textiles | 4 |
| Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 3 |
| Other manufacturing | 2 |
| Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 2 |
Importer companies over time
What this shows: Monthly count of unique importing companies.
Latest 5
| Month | Companies |
|---|---|
| 2025-11 | 4 |
| 2025-07 | 3 |
| 2025-06 | 2 |
| 2025-04 | 1 |
| 2025-03 | 2 |
Top importers
What this shows: Companies with the highest number of months traded for this HS code.
Importer company size by revenue band
What this shows: Distribution of importers across company revenue bands.
Top 5 values
| Revenue | Companies |
|---|---|
| 1m-15m | 5 |
| Other | 2 |
| 0-1m | 1 |
| 15m-54m | 1 |
Import seasonality
What this shows: Average monthly import pattern from historical data.
Quick facts
HS code: 550490
Coverage: United Kingdom, most metrics for the last 24 months
Description: Unprocessed synthetic fibers not specified elsewhere, used in textile production