Sourcing butterfly nets from China

Butterfly-net duty and attached controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, butterfly nets fall within heading 9507, under 9507 90 00 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied snapshot shows no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension for this line. The table shows product variants sharing the same tariff line.

The tariff attaches an import control on cat and dog fur. Imports of that fur and products made from it are banned, including supplies from China. Specify materials without it. The snapshot also lists cat and dog fur export control and a DCMS export licence entry; ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance if goods are subsequently exported.

Confirm the commodity code using the complete product description, especially for nets supplied in play sets. The fishing landing nets guide covers the related net family within this heading.

Specify mesh, hoop and handle together

State the intended use and user group, mesh material and aperture, bag depth, hoop shape and diameter, handle material, extended and collapsed length, grip and locking mechanism. Agree seam construction, replaceable net bags and protection for exposed hoop ends. Keep an approved assembled sample and prohibit material substitutions without approval.

For consumer nets sold in Great Britain, product safety rules require safe products. For a net designed or intended for play by children under 14, confirm with the relevant authority whether toy rules apply; toys must meet essential safety requirements before sale in Great Britain. Settle testing, warnings and the product's intended use before production with testing and certification support.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 telescopic butterfly nets under 9507 90 00 00, invoiced at £14,000 free on board, with £1,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £15,000. Duty at 2% is £300. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £15,300, so it is £3,060. Import taxes total £3,360; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £300 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mesh: check aperture and bag depth against the sample, inspect seams for missed stitches, and pull the fabric gently around the hoop to find weak attachments.

Hoop: check shape, joint security and exposed wire ends; assemble and fold applicable models to identify pinch points and distortion.

Handle: extend and retract telescopic sections, test locks against the agreed load, and check grips and end caps for looseness and sharp edges.

Arrival: open cartons, compare contents and labels with the approved order, check for crushed hoops and torn bags, and record defects by batch. Use the quality inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

Loose mesh catches at the hoop joint, shallow bags let insects escape, and rough seams can damage delicate wings. Telescopic handles may slip when swung, detachable heads may loosen, and unprotected packing can flatten hoops. Compare assembled production samples with the approved sample and check fit after unpacking.

A colourful net ordered as field equipment may arrive with packaging presenting it as children's play equipment. Resolve the intended use and safety assessment before approving artwork; do not leave that decision to the packing supplier.

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.