Bamboo and seagrass mats and blinds from China

Zero duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, plaits and products of plaiting materials, heading 4601, carried 0% on goods from China on all eighteen lines, whether mats, matting and screens of bamboo, rattan or other vegetable materials, or plaits and other products of vegetable or other materials. There was no anti-dumping measure and no suspension.

Baskets and other basketwork are heading 4602, covered in our gift hamper baskets guide; raw canes are in our bamboo canes and rattan guide. Confirm the commodity code from the material and whether the product is made of plaits.

Mould, chemicals and pests

Bamboo, rattan and seagrass arrive with moisture, and mould grows in a closed container. Sachets of the anti-mould agent dimethyl fumarate were once used against it, but entry 61 of [Annex XVII of UK REACH](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1907/annex/XVII) bans articles containing it above 0.1 mg/kg, so ask the factory how it controls mould and test for it.

Untreated plant material can carry wood-boring beetles, so ask how the material was dried or heat-treated, and wooden pallets and crates need ISPM 15 marking. Mats and screens sold to consumers must be safe under the [General Product Safety Regulations 2005](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1803/contents).

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 2,000 bamboo roll-up blinds and screens under 4601 21 90 00, add the £1,200 of freight and insurance to the £8,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £9,200. Duty on bamboo screens is zero, leaving import VAT of £1,840, 20% of the customs value. For a VAT-registered buyer that is a cash-flow cost rather than a lasting one. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

Inspection checklist

Moisture and mould: measure the moisture content of sampled pieces with a calibrated moisture meter against the limit agreed in the order, look for mould spots and musty smells, and check that no desiccant or anti-mould sachets are packed in with the goods.

Pests: look for exit holes and powder dust under sampled items, which show live wood-boring beetles, and check the ISPM 15 mark on every wooden pallet or crate.

Size and finish: measure length and width of mats and blinds against the specification, check the weave for gaps and loose ends, operate the cords and pulls of roll-up blinds, and check any lacquer is dry and even.

What goes wrong

Woven mats fail on mould, pests and size. Goods packed damp arrive mouldy, beetles emerge from bamboo weeks after delivery, seagrass rugs shrink or ripple so they are not the size ordered, weaves loosen at the edges, and blind cords break or tangle. Anti-mould sachets appear in cartons even though the chemical is banned.

Agree a moisture limit and drying method, inspect for pests and mould before loading, and ventilate the container in hot months. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources bamboo blinds and screens and rattan and seagrass mats for homeware and garden retailers, and has no minimum order of its own; the workshop's minimum per design applies. See small orders.