Sourcing glass flower vases from China

UK duty on glass flower vases

Heading 7013 covers glassware used for table, kitchen, toilet, office, indoor decoration or similar purposes. Flower vases fall within its indoor-decoration family. The relevant other-glassware lines distinguish lead crystal from other glass and hand-gathered production from other production. See the drinking glasses guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, the vase-relevant lines carried 10% duty on goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The tariff attaches cat and dog fur import and export controls: products containing that fur are banned from import and export. Check any decorative fur trim. It also lists a cultural objects export licence measure; confirm its relevance with your customs broker if exporting the goods.

Ask the supplier to identify the glass composition and manufacturing process, then confirm the commodity code against the actual vase. Keep photographs, the specification and a sample available when discussing classification.

Specify the vase shape, glass and packing

Write down height, opening diameter, body profile, base footprint, wall thickness and empty weight, with agreed tolerances. Identify lead crystal or other glass, the forming process, and whether colour is in the glass or applied as a coating. Keep an approved sample for colour, clarity, mould seams and acceptable bubbles.

Agree a smooth rim, a base that sits flat, and a water-holding check. Assess stability with water and the intended flower arrangement. Specify decoration position, coating adhesion, individual protection, dividers and carton construction. Open a packed trial carton and check that neighbouring vases cannot touch.

Consumer vases supplied in Great Britain must be safe. Use the sample review to identify sharp edges, breakage and tipping risks. Keep inspection findings and supplier details with the order, and agree any care information before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 hand-gathered lead crystal flower vases; illustrative order and values under 7013 91 10 00, invoiced at £11,000 free on board, with £2,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,400. Duty at 10% is £1,340. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £14,740, so it is £2,948. Import taxes total £4,288; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,340 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Shape and stability: measure the agreed dimensions and weight, check for rocking on a flat surface, and assess the filled vase with the intended arrangement.

Glass and rim: inspect for cracks, chips, sharp edges and inclusions; compare clarity, colour, bubbles and mould seams with the approved sample.

Water and decoration: fill sampled vases on a dry surface and look for seepage; check coating or print adhesion against the agreed method.

Packing and arrival: open cartons from different parts of the shipment, check dividers and cushioning, and record broken pieces and carton damage. Use the inspection guide to organise the checks.

What goes wrong

A narrow base or uneven foot can make a tall vase unstable once flowers are added. Rough rims can cut fingers, while fine cracks or poorly formed bases can leak. Colour and wall thickness can vary between batches even when the outline looks unchanged.

Vases can arrive chipped when rims touch dividers or bodies touch inside a carton. Compare production samples with the approved sample, inspect packed goods before shipment, and photograph damage before discarding arrival packaging. Agree how the supplier will investigate leaks, breakage and repeated defects.

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.