Sourcing assembled fur plates from China

Assembled fur plates: 2% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 4302 covers tanned or dressed furskins, including skins and pieces assembled without adding other materials. Its assembled-fur lines all carry 2% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty, or tariff suspension, is recorded for these lines. The suspension for certain unassembled sheepskins does not extend to assembled plates.

Controls vary by line and species. Confirm the import and sale restrictions for cat and dog fur with your customs broker. Seal products for sale in Great Britain must have a seal catch certificate; confirm eligibility and any applicable exemption with the relevant authority before ordering. CITES import and export controls also appear on relevant lines; some species need permits. The tariff additionally attaches a restriction on entry into free circulation to dropped skins and other assembled furskins: confirm its application to the species and origin with your customs broker.

Give your broker the species, photographs, assembly method and details of any backing or lining to confirm the commodity code. Do not select an unassembled-skin code simply because the material is rabbit fur. See the dressed rabbit furskins guide for the wider heading and unassembled skins.

Specify the usable plate, not just the fur

Specify the species and Latin name, farmed or wild origin, tanning and dyeing, hair length, density and direction. Define the finished plate shape, usable dimensions and whether edge trimming is included. State whether the plate uses whole skins, strips or small pieces, and approve the seam layout on the leather side.

Agree colour matching across the order, acceptable repairs, leather softness, shedding and dye rub-off checks. Keep an approved sample showing both sides. State whether backing, lining or other materials are included so the supplied construction matches the classification brief.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 rabbit fur plates, illustrative order under 4302 30 25 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,500. Duty at 2% is £190. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,690, so it is £1,938. Import taxes total £2,128; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £190 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Species and origin: match the batch documents to the agreed species and source; arrange independent identification if substitution is suspected.

Dimensions and seams: lay plates flat, measure usable area, inspect the leather side for holes and repairs, and flex seams to reveal gaps or tearing.

Hair and colour: brush and gently pull sampled areas, compare colour and hair direction with the approved sample, and check dye transfer.

Dressing and packing: check leather flexibility, persistent odour, dampness and mould; inspect folded areas for creases and crushed hair. Plan checks using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A plate can meet its outer dimensions yet provide less usable cutting area because of thin edges, holes or repairs. Mixed hair direction makes joins visible, while weak seams open when the plate is shaped. Agree how usable area and repairs will be judged before approving production.

Uneven dyeing, shedding and stiff leather may appear across a batch even when the approval sample looks acceptable. Inspect production plates from different packs and compare both sides. Resolve species and import-document questions before shipment rather than treating a supplier's trade name as proof.

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.