Sourcing Antique Mirror Glass from China

Duty on antique mirror glass

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 7009 covers glass mirrors, whether or not framed, including rear-view mirrors. This guide covers newly manufactured antique-effect mirror glass with a deliberately aged appearance. Specify that product clearly when requesting samples and preparing shipment descriptions.

Other unframed glass mirrors under 7009 91 00 90 and framed glass mirrors under 7009 92 00 00 carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for these lines. The suspension elsewhere in the heading concerns a specified vehicle mirror. The table repeats applicable codes for different product forms.

Confirm the commodity code using the glass material, framing and complete supplied product. See the unframed glass mirror sheets guide for the wider sheet product family.

Specify the aged finish and panel layout

Agree the base tint, reflective appearance, mottling colour, pattern density and areas where the reflective coating is deliberately interrupted. Approve physical samples showing the acceptable finish range under the intended lighting. For adjoining panels, ask for a dry layout so you can assess the pattern across the whole installation.

Specify finished dimensions, glass thickness, edge polish, bevels, corners, holes and panel orientation. Agree protective back paint, any safety backing film and compatibility with the proposed mounting adhesive. For framed mirrors, approve the frame joints, hanging hardware and fitting instructions with the complete sample.

Mirrors intended or foreseeably likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain fall within general product safety rules and must be safe. Assess breakage, sharp edges and mounting security separately from the decorative finish. Ask for evidence supporting the proposed backing and fixing arrangement.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 120 framed antique-effect glass mirrors under 7009 92 00 00, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,200, so it is £1,040. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Finish: compare production panels with the approved sample range under consistent lighting; check tint, mottling, reflective areas and the layout of adjoining panels.

Glass: measure against the drawing; inspect polished edges, corners, holes, cracks and chips, and check unintended reflection distortion against a straight-line pattern.

Backing and mounting: check back paint coverage and film adhesion where specified; inspect frame joints, assemble hanging hardware and verify the agreed mounting arrangement.

Packing and arrival: check face protection, separators, edge support and isolation from loose hardware; photograph damaged packaging and inspect arriving panels before installation.

What goes wrong

A photograph can hide differences in tint and pattern density. A small sample may also look different when repeated across a wall. Agree an acceptable physical sample range and approve the panel layout before production. Define deliberate ageing clearly so scratches, accidental coating loss and edge corrosion are not accepted as part of the finish.

Adhesive incompatibility can damage the backing, while unsupported edges and loose hardware can break glass in transit. Check the proposed adhesive on a sample and inspect the agreed packing during quality inspection. Keep the approved finish samples available when assessing the shipment.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.