Sourcing calligraphy ink from China

Calligraphy ink: normally 6% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 3215 covers printing, writing, drawing and other inks, including concentrated and solid forms. Calligraphy ink is normally considered under 3215 90 70 90. The table shows product variants sharing that commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

Goods from China under this line carry 6% ordinary duty, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure shown. Its suspensions concern specified toner powder and ink formulations for manufacturing inkjet cartridges under authorised use; they do not describe ordinary calligraphy ink. The tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Waste shipment controls apply only to waste; for waste ink from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker before shipment.

Confirm the formulation, physical form and intended use when checking the commodity code. The printing inks and ink cartridges guide covers the wider heading.

Specify the ink, writing tool and paper

State whether the ink is for brush lettering, dip pens or fountain pens. Agree pigment or dye type, binder, colour, dilution instructions, drying behaviour and the paper used for approval. Ask for composition details and an English safety data sheet. UK REACH registration can concern substances within mixtures, so review the ingredients rather than treating the bottle as a single substance.

For Great Britain, chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before sale. Obtain the proposed label artwork and packaging specification for review. For ink sticks, agree grindability, colour density and residue on the inkstone. Keep an approved writing sample and sealed reference stock for quality inspection.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative bulk order: 2 tonnes of bottled black calligraphy ink under 3215 90 70 90, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,900. Duty at 6% is £774. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,674, so it is £2,734.80. Import taxes total £3,508.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £774 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Writing: compare brush strokes and nib lines on the agreed paper for colour, feathering, bleed-through, drying and smudging.

Dispersion: inspect sediment, lumps and surface skin; check whether settled pigment redistributes using the agreed mixing method.

Packaging: inspect caps, liners and seals for leakage; compare bottle fill and label artwork with the approved sample.

Consistency: compare production batches with retained ink and writing samples; test claimed water resistance and pen compatibility before accepting those claims.

What goes wrong

A brush ink sold as fountain-pen ink can clog the feed if its pigment or binder is unsuitable. Ink that looks dense in the bottle may feather on the buyer's paper, dry slowly or rub off after drying. Approve the actual ink, tool and paper combination.

Settled pigment may become hard to redisperse, while loose caps or damaged liners allow leakage. Ink sticks may grind unevenly or leave grit. Record defects against the retained sample and agree the corrective action before accepting replacement stock.

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.