Sourcing cleaned peacock feathers from China

Zero duty, with feather import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 0505 covers feathers and bird parts not further worked than cleaned, disinfected or treated for preservation, plus feather powder and waste. Cleaned peacock feathers for decoration fall within the other-feathers line, 0505 90 00 00, subject to confirmation of their processing. The table shows buying forms under the same tariff line.

Goods from China on this line carry 0% duty. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure or suspension is recorded. The tariff attaches veterinary, CITES and waste import controls, plus CITES and waste export controls. These entries require checks against the actual species, treatment, use and waste status.

Ask your customs broker to confirm the veterinary clearance documents, including whether a common health entry document is required for your route. Confirm the commodity code before ordering, especially if feathers are assembled into finished decorations. For the wider heading context, see cleaned ostrich feathers.

Specify feather type, eye pattern and treatment

Specify the bird species, feather type, natural or altered colour, usable length, shaft straightness, eye-pattern size and symmetry, and acceptable fraying. Keep a physical sample showing the agreed appearance. State whether shafts may be trimmed, and agree packing that protects the eyes and tips from crushing.

Official guidance permits treated-feather imports from any trading partner, including China, but untreated feathers cannot be imported. It states that treated decorative feathers need no import documentation. Ask APHA and your broker whether your consignment qualifies. For the other treated-feather route, ask APHA and your broker to confirm whether processor approval, the exporter's signed commercial document, treatment and disease statements, pre-notification and veterinary checks are needed before dispatch.

If the species is CITES-listed, permits are required to move its feathers into or out of Great Britain. Confirm the species and applicable documents before ordering. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste; notified waste cannot ship until the relevant authorities have consented. Have your broker confirm whether either control applies to the proposed Chinese consignment.

If you sell the feathers as consumer products, you are responsible for their safety and applicable labelling requirements. Assess the intended use, exposed quill ends and any treatment residues. Use factory verification to check who actually cleans and treats the feathers.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order, not a quotation: a batch of cleaned peacock eye feathers for a craft retailer under 0505 90 00 00, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,400, so it is £480. 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 species, feather type, processor and batch details to the order and treatment records; investigate mixed feathers or unexplained substitutions.

Appearance: compare eye patterns, colour, usable length, shaft straightness and intact tips with the retained sample; check bundles throughout the shipment.

Cleanliness: check for dust, attached tissue, grease, damp, mould and odour. Compare treatment records with the supplied feathers; visual cleanliness alone does not establish treatment.

Packing: check for crushed eyes, split shafts and bent tips, and match bundle labels to carton contents. Use the inspection guide to brief the checks.

What goes wrong

A sample with intact eyes can be followed by bulk bundles containing frayed, narrow or broken feathers. Tight packing bends shafts and crushes the eye pattern. Separate appearance grades in the purchase specification and inspect opened bundles before shipment and on arrival.

A supplier's description of 'cleaned' can leave the treatment and import route unresolved. Damp or strongly smelling feathers also need investigation before acceptance. Resolve species identity, decorative-feather status and the applicable documents before shipping, rather than relying on a general export claim.

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.