Sourcing hairdressing foil rolls from China
Aluminium hairdressing foil rolls from China carry 6% to 7.50% ordinary duty on the selected lines. Qualifying plain and embossed small rolls also attract 35.60% residual anti-dumping duty. Classification depends on thickness, roll weight and processing, rather than the salon label. Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium hairdressing foil rolls.
Duty depends on the foil specification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7607 covers aluminium foil no thicker than 0.2 mm, excluding any backing. This guide concerns hairdressing rolls. The table gives candidate lines, rather than a classification for every salon product. See the wider aluminium foil guide for other foil applications.
The selected lines carry 6% or 7.50% ordinary duty for goods from China. Plain and embossed unbacked rolls from 0.007 mm to under 0.021 mm thick, weighing no more than 10 kg, carry 7.50% plus 35.60% residual anti-dumping duty. The published wider guide explains named-exporter rates and invoice declarations. The supplied tariff snapshot lists no suspensions or attached import controls for these selected lines.
Give your customs broker the thickness, net foil weight per roll, backing details and description of rolling, embossing, printing or coating. Confirm the commodity code before ordering, especially for coloured or printed foil. Ask your customs broker or the relevant authority to confirm whether the forthcoming UK carbon border adjustment mechanism will apply to your foil.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain unbacked rolls, 0.007 to under 0.021 mm thick, weighing up to 10 kg | 7607 11 11 19 | 7.5% | 35.60% residual anti-dumping |
| Embossed unbacked rolls, 0.007 to under 0.021 mm thick, weighing up to 10 kg | 7607 19 10 19 | 7.5% | 35.60% residual anti-dumping |
| Other plain unbacked rolls under 0.021 mm thick, weighing up to 10 kg | 7607 11 11 90 | 6% | None |
| Other worked unbacked foil under 0.021 mm thick | 7607 19 10 90 | 6% | None |
Specify foil for folding, colouring and dispensing
Specify alloy and temper, foil thickness and tolerance, width, usable length, net foil weight, core dimensions and winding direction. State whether the surface is plain, embossed, printed or coated. Agree an approved sample for folding around hair and opening without tearing, plus the dispenser box and cutter arrangement.
Trial the foil with the hair-colouring products and application method your customers use. Check for tearing, leakage, staining and colour transfer, including from printed or coated surfaces. Keep the sample and its material details with the purchase specification.
For rolls intended or reasonably likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain, general product safety rules require a safe product before it is placed on the market. Include the dispenser cutter in your safety assessment; a professional-use description alone does not resolve foreseeable consumer use.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order only: 20 cartons of printed hairdressing foil rolls, subject to classification confirmation under 7607 19 10 90, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,500. Duty at 6% is £210. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,710, so it is £742. Import taxes total £952; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £210 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure thickness across the foil, check width and unwind sample rolls to confirm usable length. Weigh the foil separately from its core and box.
Surface: inspect against a light for pinholes, then check oil residue, odour, sticking layers and print transfer against the approved sample.
Use: fold and reopen strips, trial the agreed colouring products and check whether the foil unwinds and tears cleanly in the dispenser.
Arrival: check crushed cores, loose cutters, wet cartons, roll counts and batch identification. Record defects before distributing stock; use the inspection guide to agree checks before shipment.
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What goes wrong
Short rolls and thin foil can hide behind a convincing box. Excessively tight winding can make layers stick, crushed cores can stop dispensing, and weak boxes can expose the cutter. Printed surfaces need a practical transfer check rather than approval from appearance alone.
A salon description does not remove anti-dumping exposure. Budgeting only for ordinary duty on qualifying plain or embossed small rolls understates the tax. Printing or coating also needs a fresh classification check rather than automatic use of the plain-foil code.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on hairdressing foil from China?
The selected lines carry 6% to 7.50% ordinary duty. Qualifying plain and embossed small rolls also carry 35.60% residual anti-dumping duty; named-exporter rates may differ.
Does salon use avoid aluminium foil anti-dumping duty?
Do not assume so. Match the foil's thickness, roll weight and processing to the tariff description, and ask your broker to confirm the applicable exporter rate.
How do I check the length of a hairdressing foil roll?
Unwind sample rolls and measure usable length. Check thickness, width and net foil weight as supporting checks, excluding the core and dispenser box.
What should I check on coloured hairdressing foil?
Confirm whether it is printed or coated, trial it with the intended colouring products, and check colour transfer, staining, tearing and layer sticking. Confirm its commodity code separately.