Sourcing glass-bead paper wallpaper from China
Glass-bead paper wallpaper from China carries 0% UK duty across the supplied heading 4814 lines, with no listed trade remedies. Importers placing virgin-fibre paper on the GB market must carry out timber due diligence. Specify bead adhesion and check fire performance for the intended use. Cambridge China Bridge sources glass-bead paper wallpaper.
Duty and classification for glass-bead wallpaper
Heading 4814 covers wallpaper and similar wallcoverings, and window transparencies of paper. For glass-bead paper wallpaper, identify the paper backing, bead adhesive and any plastic face or protective coating. The supplied tariff file contains only the commodity lines shown here; the decorative name alone does not settle which line applies.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, all supplied lines carried 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. Each lists a DCMS Export Licence measure. Official guidance concerns exporting cultural objects from Great Britain. Ask your customs broker to confirm the listed measure's relevance and any documentary requirement for your China import.
Send your broker a finished sample and a layer-by-layer material description to confirm the commodity code. For related paper wallcoverings within this heading, see flocked paper wallpaper.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other paper wallpaper, potentially including glass-bead finishes | 4814 90 70 00 | 0% | None |
| Surface-decorated paper wallpaper with transparent protective plastic | 4814 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Paper wallpaper with a decorated plastic face layer | 4814 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the bead finish and paper backing
Agree bead size, colour, coverage and distribution against a retained sample. State the paper backing, binder, printed ground, protective coating, roll dimensions, pattern repeat and hanging direction. Agree how bead shedding will be assessed after handling, cutting and hanging, rather than accepting a photograph as approval.
For virgin-fibre paper first placed on the GB market, confirm any timber due diligence requirements with the relevant authority. Obtain the pulp source, tree species and country of harvest. For construction use, ask for the declared performance and a fire report matching the finished bead-coated product, backing and installation arrangement. Legitimately CE-marked construction products can continue to be supplied to the GB market.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 150 rolls of glass-bead paper wallpaper, illustrative only; classification to be confirmed under 4814 90 70 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £535 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,035. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,035, so it is £807. 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
Bead retention: compare production rolls with the approved sample, inspect loose beads inside the wrapping, and check shedding during the agreed handling and cutting trial.
Shade and surface: compare rolls from different cartons under the same lighting; check bare patches, bead clumps, binder marks and differences in sparkle.
Hanging: measure roll dimensions and pattern repeat, then hang adjacent drops with the agreed paste and substrate; inspect seams, lifting and paper movement after drying.
Traceability and packing: check design and batch identification, match performance documents to the supplied finish, and inspect crushed edges, rubbed surfaces and damp cartons.
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What goes wrong
Weak binder adhesion leaves bare patches as beads detach during unrolling or trimming. Uneven coverage makes adjacent drops reflect light differently, while beads along cut edges can make seams conspicuous. Mixed production batches can differ in both ground colour and bead appearance.
A report for the uncoated paper does not demonstrate the behaviour of the finished bead-coated wallpaper. Ask for documents identifying the supplied construction and keep an approved hanging sample. Agree the inspection scope before shipment, including bead retention and packing protection.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on glass-bead paper wallpaper from China?
The supplied heading 4814 lines carry 0% duty, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm the code from the backing and face coatings.
Which commodity code should I use for glass-bead wallpaper?
Do not classify by the product name alone. Give your broker a finished sample and the paper, adhesive and coating details; the supplied lines distinguish plastic-faced, protectively coated and other paper wallpaper.
Do timber rules apply to glass-bead paper wallpaper?
Confirm with the relevant authority whether the virgin-fibre paper falls within the timber rules and what due diligence the importer first placing it on the GB market should carry out on the timber source behind the paper.
How do I check whether the glass beads will fall off?
Agree a handling, cutting and hanging trial using production samples. Compare shedding and bare patches with the retained sample, and inspect the wrapping for loose beads.