Sourcing glass bugle beads from China

Duty and classification of glass bugle beads

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 7018 covers glass beads and related glass smallware. This guide concerns hollow glass tube beads for sewing, beadwork and jewellery. The table distinguishes cut and mechanically polished beads, hand-made beads and other beads. Its glass-smallware article row is a comparison for assembled goods, rather than a default code for loose bugle beads.

The supplied tariff facts show 0% duty throughout these lines for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension. The loose-bead lines have no attached controls. The glass-smallware article line attaches cat and dog fur import and export controls: importing or exporting that fur, or products made from it, is banned. Check any mixed-material article with your customs broker.

Confirm the commodity code using the manufacturing process, polishing and supplied form. Give your broker photographs and a sample description rather than relying on the name bugle bead. See the glass seed beads guide for the wider heading and the duty and VAT guide for the calculation method.

Specify tube length, holes and cut ends

Specify glass composition, tube length, outside diameter, hole diameter and tolerances. State whether the tube is straight, twisted or faceted, and describe the end finish. Send the factory the actual needle, thread or wire combination, including the passes needed for your beadwork, and approve a threaded sample.

Separate through-coloured glass from painted, lined and surface-coated finishes. Agree a colour reference, coating durability checks, pack weight or count and colour separation. For sewn embellishments, check the beads on the intended fabric through the intended cleaning process.

Businesses importing or selling consumer beads are responsible for their safety. Ask the relevant authority to confirm applicable UK REACH lead restrictions for jewellery parts and whether any crystal-glass derogation applies; request relevant composition and coating test evidence rather than accepting an unsupported lead-free claim. For children's bead kits, confirm with the relevant authority whether toy safety rules apply and what evidence is needed for small parts, coatings and warnings. Arrange testing and certification around the intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2 tonnes of loose glass bugle beads in assorted colours under 7018 10 19 90, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,500, so it is £3,900. 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

Dimensions: measure tube length, outside diameter and hole clearance across bags and colours against the agreed specification.

Ends and threading: inspect for chips, cracks and sharp cut edges; thread sampled beads with the intended needle and thread, then check for snagging and abrasion.

Finish: compare colour and lining with the approved sample; check for blocked holes, peeling coatings and colour transfer after the agreed rub and cleaning tests.

Packs and evidence: verify pack count or weight, colour separation and broken beads; match composition and coating reports to the supplied product. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

Uneven lengths spoil repeated beadwork patterns. Narrow or partly coated holes prevent threading, while chipped tube ends can cut sewing thread after the item is handled. Twist and facet differences can change the appearance even when the colour matches.

Paint or metallic coatings can transfer onto fabric, and crushed bags can conceal broken tubes among intact beads. Keep an approved sample for each finish, agree how breakage is counted and check the supplied lot before repacking it for sale.

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.