Sourcing ceramic garden gnomes from China

2% or 6% duty on ceramic garden gnomes

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6913 covers statuettes and other ornamental ceramic articles, including decorative ceramic garden gnomes. Goods from China carry 2% duty when made of common pottery and 6% for porcelain or china, earthenware or fine pottery, and other ceramics. The supplied tariff records list no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and waste import controls. Imports of cat and dog fur, including products made from it, are banned, so exclude such fur from attached beards or trim. For waste subject to notification controls entering England, the exporter in China must apply to its competent authority for consent. Confirm waste status and shipment requirements with your customs broker. The records also list cultural-object, fur and waste export measures; check these before re-exporting.

Confirm the commodity code from the actual ceramic body, manufacturing method and decorative function. Ask for the body specification rather than accepting a supplier's generic ceramic description. See the wider ceramic ornaments and figurines guide for the heading's other products.

Specify the body, finish and outdoor use

Specify the ceramic body, dimensions, weight, base footprint, hollow or solid construction, glaze, paint system and decoration method. Approve a physical master sample showing the face, beard, hat and clothing colours. Record whether accessories are moulded into the body or glued on, and agree protection for projecting hats, noses and tools.

Agree how outdoor-use claims will be checked, including resistance to rain, freezing conditions and colour fading. Ask for results on the proposed body and finish, and agree care instructions and any winter-storage advice. Specify how hollow sections drain so water does not remain trapped.

Gnomes sold to consumers in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Assess sharp edges, stability and detachable parts. If the design or sales presentation invites children to play, confirm with Trading Standards whether toy rules apply and how a decorative-use label affects the assessment. For versions with lights or batteries, also ask which electrical rules apply.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,000 earthenware garden gnomes under 6913 90 93 90, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 6% is £1,050. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,550, so it is £3,710. Import taxes total £4,760; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,050 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Body and stability: compare dimensions and weight with the approved sample, inspect the base for rocking, and check hats, noses and accessory joints for cracks or sharp edges.

Glaze and painting: check for crazing, pinholes, bare patches and paint rub-off; compare faces, beard details and clothing colours with the master sample.

Outdoor performance: review the agreed weathering results, check drainage openings are clear, and compare care instructions with the approved use conditions.

Packing and arrival: check cushioning around projecting parts, separation between pieces and carton condition; unpack samples from different cartons and record chips or breakage. Use the quality inspection guide to agree checks before dispatch.

What goes wrong

Pointed hats and projecting noses break when packing supports only the main body. Thin bases chip, glued accessories loosen, and hand-painted faces differ from the approved sample. Check the finished gnome inside its proposed packing rather than approving the ornament and carton separately.

An outdoor-use description can hide untested paint or a body that retains water. Agree evidence for the claimed conditions before ordering, then compare production samples with the approved construction and finish. Photograph arrival defects before disposing of the packing.

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.