Sourcing bare copper braids from China

UK duty on bare copper braids

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 7413 covers stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and similar copper products without electrical insulation. Bare copper braids fall within the other-goods line, 7413 00 00 90, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty, or suspension, is listed. The table shows product forms within this same tariff line.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Official guidance says waste shipment controls apply only if the material is waste. For a shipment from China whose waste status or required procedure is unclear, confirm the requirement with your customs broker before dispatch. Do the same before exporting rejected material as waste.

Confirm the commodity code using the braid construction, insulation status and any attached fittings. For the wider product family, see bare stranded copper wire.

Specify the braid, not just its width

State copper grade, bare untinned finish, flat or tubular construction, nominal metal cross-section, width, thickness, strand diameter and strand count. Agree resistance per unit length and the measurement method. Width alone does not establish how much conducting copper the braid contains.

Specify coil or cut length, flexibility, end treatment and packing. For bonding applications, give the factory a drawing showing the intended routing and connection points. Approve a sample against those details before production, and ask factory verification to check the maker's resistance measurement equipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative batch of bare copper braid coils for a business stock order under 7413 00 00 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,800, so it is £1,160. 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

Construction: measure braid width and thickness under an agreed method, check strand diameter and count, and compare the weave with the approved sample.

Conductivity: measure sample resistance over a known length and compare it with the agreed specification; check the copper grade records.

Flexibility and ends: bend samples through the intended routing and check for broken strands, loose weaving and fraying at cut ends.

Quantity and condition: check coil length and net weight, and inspect for oxidation, moisture and crushing. Record findings using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A braid can meet the ordered width while containing thinner strands or fewer strands than agreed. The result is less copper and higher resistance. Copper-clad aluminium substitution, uneven weaving, frayed ends and short coils are further checks to include in the inspection brief.

Compare production samples with the approved sample and the written resistance and construction limits. Keep batch records so a failed coil can be traced to its inspection results. For any coating or plating added to the order, ask for the supplier's statement on substances of very high concern under UK REACH.

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.