Sourcing bone glue from China
Bone glue from China under 3503 00 80 00 carries 0% UK duty, with no listed trade remedy. The tariff attaches veterinary control, so confirm the animal by-product import route before ordering. Specify bone source, gel strength and hot-solution viscosity. Cambridge China Bridge sources bone glue.
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Zero duty and animal-product checks
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 3503 covers gelatin and its derivatives, isinglass and other animal-origin glues, excluding casein glues. Bone glue falls within the other animal glues line, 3503 00 80 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows supply forms within this same commodity line.
The tariff attaches veterinary control and import and export waste controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm the veterinary requirement, including the common health entry document, for the actual product from China. For goods treated as waste and moved under notification controls, shipment requires consent from the competent authorities of dispatch, destination and transit. Confirm the applicable waste procedure with your broker before shipment.
Give your broker the species, bone origin, manufacturing process, composition, additives, packaging and intended use to confirm the commodity code. See the technical hide glue guide for related animal glues within this heading and the import duty and VAT guide for costing.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone glue granules | 3503 00 80 00 | 0% | None |
Specify bone source and glue performance
Specify bone-derived glue and the animal species, with any hide-glue blending or additives declared. Agree the supply form, gel strength, hot-solution viscosity, moisture, ash, colour and odour. State the concentration and temperature used for each performance test. Trial the sample on your actual timber, paper or board, checking wet tack, working time, dried bond strength and staining.
Ask your broker and APHA to confirm the China and species eligibility, import category, health documents and package wording before ordering. Where the product follows the non-food gelatine route, it must come from an establishment approved to export to Great Britain. Animal by-product imports require notification through the official import system and entry through an approved border control post.
Substances and mixtures placed on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its classification, labelling and packaging rules. Obtain the complete composition and classification information for the glue you intend to sell, including any preservatives or other additives.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of bone glue granules under 3503 00 80 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,000, so it is £3,600. 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
Identity: match the species declaration, bone-source statement, batch certificate and bag markings to the approved sample and order.
Performance: compare gel strength and viscosity using the agreed method, then check tack, working time and the dried bond on your production materials.
Condition: inspect for dampness, caking, mould, unusual odour and insoluble particles after preparation.
Packing: check liners, seals, bag damage and batch traceability; retain a sample from each delivered lot. See quality inspection explained.
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What goes wrong
A glue can match the sample colour yet differ in viscosity or gel strength. This can change application weight, working time and bond performance. Undeclared blending makes repeat orders harder to control, while moisture ingress causes caking and complicates preparation. Compare arrival samples with the retained approval sample before releasing the lot to production.
A supplier's description of industrial glue does not settle the animal-product import route. Resolve species, processing and document questions before loading, and keep the invoice description consistent with the supplied product. Treat a change in composition or source as a reason to repeat the technical trial and broker review.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on bone glue from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty under 3503 00 80 00, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Veterinary and waste controls are attached.
Can I import Chinese bone glue for industrial use?
Confirm the actual species, processing and import route with your broker and APHA before ordering. Where the non-food gelatine route applies, the producing establishment must be approved to export to Great Britain.
What should I specify when buying bone glue?
Specify species, bone source, declared blends and additives, gel strength, viscosity, moisture, ash and supply form. Agree test conditions and approve a bond trial on your own materials.
How do I check bone glue when it arrives?
Match batch documents and markings, inspect for dampness and caking, and repeat the agreed viscosity, gel-strength and bond checks. Retain an arrival sample for comparison with later deliveries.