Sourcing glass seed beads from China

Glass seed bead codes and duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 7018 covers glass beads alongside imitation pearls, other glass smallwares and certain glass articles. For seed beads, distinguish cut and mechanically polished beads, hand-made beads and other beads. The table shows round and cylindrical machine-made forms separately under their shared code. See the wider glass beads guide for the broader heading.

The relevant glass-bead lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on these lines. Other article lines in this heading have cat and dog fur import and export controls: imports and exports of that fur and products made from it are banned. Keep any proposed fur-containing bead article separate for review.

Confirm the commodity code against the manufacturing process and whether the goods are loose beads or finished articles. Provide your broker with photographs and the factory's process description. Finished imitation jewellery needs separate classification. A small diameter alone does not establish the correct line.

Specify the hole, shape and finish

State bead diameter, height, hole diameter and permitted variation. Describe round or cylindrical shape and the required hole position. Send the actual thread or wire used by your customer, and agree a threading sample. Keep an approved colour sample for every finish, including transparent, opaque, lined, painted and metallic-coated beads.

Specify net weight or count per pack, colour separation and pack identification. Agree how coating wear and colour transfer will be checked. For beads sold for jewellery, confirm applicable UK REACH lead restrictions and whether any crystal-glass derogation applies with the relevant authority. Obtain test results for coated or painted finishes. If metal findings are included, assess their cadmium compliance separately.

Consumer beads supplied in Great Britain must be safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Kits intended for children's play fall under toy safety rules. For those kits, review small-parts risks, coating migration, warnings and product-matched test evidence before approving the packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of machine-made glass seed beads 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 and threading: measure diameter, height and holes across different bags; thread samples with the agreed material and check for blocked or off-centre holes.

Edges and breakage: inspect hole rims for chips and sharp edges, check for cracked beads and loose glass fragments, and compare the proportion of unusable beads with the agreed acceptance criteria.

Colour and coating: compare bags with the approved sample under consistent light; use the agreed damp-rub and washing checks to reveal fading, flaking or colour transfer.

Packs and evidence: check net contents, colour identity and sealed bags; match chemistry reports to the supplied finishes and review toy evidence where applicable. Use the inspection guide to plan checks.

What goes wrong

A bag can look consistent while its holes vary enough to interrupt bead weaving. Chipped hole rims can cut thread, and mixed bead heights can distort a pattern. Check a stitched sample as well as loose beads. Keep different colour batches separate until their shades have been compared.

Painted and metallic finishes can rub off or transfer colour during use. An approved sample does not show whether the shipped finish has changed. Tie inspection and laboratory reports to the actual batch and finish, and hold affected bags apart while the supplier investigates.

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.