Import hair products from China to Kenya
Indicative duty ~25% (HS 6703 / 6704). Work out the all-in landed cost below.
China to Kenya, all-in
Indicative, not a quote. Duty bands, FX and freight are estimates sampled 2026-06-07. Confirm the exact HS duty with Kenya customs and freight with a forwarder.
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Today's yuan to Kenya rate
Indicative, not a quote. The band is typical of agent/payment pricing.
| CNY | At mid rate | What you actually pay |
|---|---|---|
| ¥1,000 | KSh19,130 | KSh19,800 |
| ¥10,000 | KSh191,300 | KSh197,995 |
| ¥100,000 | KSh1,913,000 | KSh1,979,955 |
The FX leg is often the difference between a profitable order and a loss. The mid-market rate is the reference; what you actually pay to settle into a Chinese supplier's account sits 1.5–3.5% above it. On a large payment that spread can outweigh the agent fee, so it is worth comparing rates the day you pay.
Worked example: Hair Products to Kenya
For a typical hair products order into Kenya — 200 units at ¥165 each (30 kg, air freight) — the duty falls in the 25% band, on top of which sit 16% VAT, IDF, RDL. That lands at roughly KSh1,004,863, or KSh5,024 per unit (~$37), an effective burden near 50% of the CIF value. Against a local retail of KSh6,287 to KSh12,573, gross margin runs about 60-20%. This order Kenya has no de-minimis, so any value pays full duty.
A realistic order: 200 units at ¥165 each (30 kg, 0.16 CBM, air).
Is it worth importing?
At a landed KSh5,045 per unit, against a typical local retail of KSh6,313 to KSh12,626, gross margin is roughly 60-20%. Indicative; real retail varies by market and channel.
QC check. Confirm human vs synthetic honestly (a burn test tells you), check weft tightness and shedding, and verify length after washing, which is where bundles lose claimed inches.
Hair products are finished consumer goods; the band is moderate-to-high and the bigger variable is correct human/wig/synthetic classification.
HS classification trap. Human hair (HS 6703) and finished wigs (HS 6704) are different lines, and synthetic fibre shifts the chapter again, so the same shipment can be classified three ways.
Indicative, not a quote. Example inputs are typical for the product class; duty and FX sampled 2026-06-07.
Buying hair products on 1688
Typical 1688 search terms: human hair bundles, wig, lace frontal, braiding hair. Indicative EAC CET band for Kenya. Verify exact HS via KRA. Sourced 2026-06-07.
All Kenya categories →Frequently asked questions
What duty applies to hair products in Kenya?
Indicative duty for hair products is about 25% (HS hint HS 6703 / 6704). With Kenya's VAT and levy stack the effective burden is roughly 50%. Verify the exact rate with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
What does hair products cost to import from China?
It depends on unit price, quantity, agent fee and freight. Use the calculator above for an all-in landed cost in KES.
What should I search for on 1688?
Common terms for this category: human hair bundles, wig, lace frontal, braiding hair. Pair these with a sourcing agent if you cannot read Chinese.
Are these numbers official?
No. Duty, FX and freight here are indicative estimates sampled 2026-06-07. Confirm with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and a forwarder before paying.
Last updated: 2026-06-07.
Wanjiru covers the Kenya–China trade route end to end: EAC Common External Tariff bands, the IDF and Railway Development Levy that sit on every CIF value, and the payment rails (from M-Pesa funding to B2B settlement) that move shillings to yuan. She writes for Nairobi's import traders who need the real all-in cost.