Sourcing drawing charcoal sticks from China

Drawing charcoal duty: 2%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, drawing charcoals under 9609 90 10 00 carry 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Heading 9609 covers pencils, crayons, pencil leads, pastels, drawing charcoals and writing, drawing and tailors' chalks. Its supplied rates range from 0% to 2%, but drawing charcoal falls on the 2% line. The table shows buying variants sharing that line. See the soft drawing pastels guide for the wider heading.

Confirm the commodity code against the actual product, especially for sheathed charcoal pencils or mixed art sets. Supply photographs, composition and pack contents rather than relying on the supplier's description.

Specify charcoal type and drawing behaviour

Specify natural willow or vine charcoal, or compressed charcoal with an agreed binder formulation. Agree stick length, thickness range, shape, hardness assortment and pack contents. Keep approved samples for each grade and identify the paper used for comparison.

Compare dark strokes, broad shading, blending and lifting with an eraser. Agree acceptable grit, dust and breakage, plus trays or sleeves that stop sticks moving in transit. Ask for composition details before approving compressed or coloured variants.

Consumer drawing charcoal sold in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Agree the intended user and assess the finished product accordingly; resolve the safety assessment before approving retail packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 60,000 drawing charcoal sticks under 9609 90 10 00, invoiced at £25,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,500. Duty at 2% is £550. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £28,050, so it is £5,610. Import taxes total £6,160; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £550 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare charcoal type, grade assortment, dimensions and pack contents with the approved specification.

Drawing performance: use the agreed paper to compare darkness, smoothness, blending and erasure; reject hard grit or unexpected scratching.

Condition: open packs from different cartons and check broken sticks, crumbling ends, moisture, mould and excessive loose dust.

Packing: check stick separation, tray support, closures, batch identification and pack artwork; inspect the contents again after an agreed handling trial.

What goes wrong

A compressed substitute can give a much darker, less erasable mark than the approved natural charcoal. Uneven burning can leave hard areas, while inconsistent binder content can change hardness or make sticks crumble. Compare production samples with retained samples before shipment.

Loose sticks knock together and arrive as fragments even when cartons look intact. Damp packing can also spoil the stock. Agree internal support and arrival checks before ordering, and use a quality inspection to examine both drawing performance and packed condition.

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.