Sourcing faux flower hanging baskets from China

UK duty and basket materials

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6702 covers artificial flowers, foliage and fruit, their parts and articles made from them. The supplied plastic and other-material lines both carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions.

The plastic line has no attached controls in the supplied data. The other-material line carries CITES import and export controls. Official guidance requires a permit for species listed in Annex A, B or C. If the basket includes natural material, identify its species and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable documents for the shipment from China.

Confirm the commodity code using the complete basket's materials and construction before ordering. The table shows product variants sharing the supplied tariff lines, rather than separate codes for each design. See the artificial flowers and plants guide for the wider heading.

Flower coverage, basket frame and suspension

Specify flower and foliage materials, colour mix, basket dimensions, trailing length, liner, frame finish and hanging assembly. State whether chains, hooks and mounting brackets are included. Approve a complete suspended sample: a display photographed from above can conceal sparse sides or an exposed liner when hung.

Consumer-product importers and sellers are responsible for safety. Review the complete hanging assembly, sharp wire ends and loose flower heads. Agree checks for hooks, chain connections and the basket's loaded weight. Record the intended mounting arrangement and approve clear installation guidance.

For outdoor ranges, request weathering evidence for flowers, foliage, frame and chains, including colour retention and corrosion. For hospitality or event orders, agree any venue-requested fire tests before production. Retain the approved assembled sample for quality inspection.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,000 plastic artificial flower hanging baskets under 6702 10 00 00, invoiced at £25,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £28,000. Duty at 4% is £1,120. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £29,120, so it is £5,824. Import taxes total £6,944; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,120 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Coverage and shape: suspend unpacked baskets and compare flower density, trailing shape, colours and visible liner with the approved sample.

Hanging assembly: check hooks, chain links, attachment points and frame distortion; repeat the agreed suspension check on assembled production baskets.

Attachments and finish: pull flower heads and foliage, check exposed wire ends, rub dark petals for colour transfer and inspect metal coatings for chips or rust.

Packing and recovery: unpack cartons, check crushed petals and bent frames, confirm the foliage recovers, and verify that included hardware matches the order.

What goes wrong

A basket can look full in a factory photograph but show bare patches when suspended at eye level. Shorter trailing stems, a changed flower mix or a shallow liner can alter the display. Record the assembled appearance and inspect production baskets while hanging.

Tightly packed cartons can flatten petals and bend frames. Weak connections can open during handling, while outdoor exposure can fade foliage or rust chains. Agree packing and performance checks before shipment, and compare arrival stock with the retained sample.

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.