Sourcing Gouache Paints from China

Gouache sets and separate colours: 0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 3213 covers artists', students' and similar colours in tubes, jars and other packings. Gouache sets fall under 3213 10 00 00; separately supplied colours fall under 3213 90 00 00. Both carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension listed.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to both codes. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a waste shipment from China to England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch authority for consent, and shipment requires consent from the Environment Agency and other authorities involved. Ask your customs broker to confirm the position for discarded or unusable paint before shipping.

Confirm the formulation and packaging with your broker using finding your commodity code. The table repeats the same tariff codes for different gouache pack formats because the supplied tariff has only the sets and other-colours lines. For the wider heading, see artists' acrylic paints.

Specify gouache colour and rewetting behaviour

State whether you want traditional gouache that can be rewetted after drying or an acrylic-based product. Agree pigment and binder composition, colour names, opacity, matt finish, mixing behaviour and fill quantity. Approve dried swatches on the intended paper as well as wet samples. Ask the factory to identify preservatives and any changes to the approved formulation.

Before sale in Great Britain, the importer must classify, label and package the paint under the applicable chemical rules. Confirm any applicable general product safety requirements for adult artists' paints with the relevant authority. For gouache intended for children's play, confirm the applicable toy-safety, declaration of conformity and CE or UKCA marking requirements with the relevant authority. Agree the intended users and supporting evidence before approving packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: assorted gouache tube sets for an art supplies retailer under 3213 10 00 00, invoiced at £25,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,000, so it is £5,400. 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

Colour and coverage: compare wet paint and dried swatches with approved samples, including coverage over a dark mark, mixing and surface finish.

Consistency and rewetting: check for lumps, separation and dried edges; test spreading and rewetting against the agreed product specification.

Fill and seals: check sampled net contents, tube crimps, caps, jar liners and leakage; inspect cartons for wet paint or damaged containers on arrival.

Batch and documents: match colour names and batch references to the order, check labels against the agreed chemical classification and inspect the relevant toy documents for play products.

What goes wrong

A wet colour match can dry to the wrong shade or a chalky finish. Weak opacity, gritty pigment, separation, mould and leaking lids can make a batch unsuitable for sale. A factory may also substitute an acrylic-based formula that does not meet an agreed rewetting specification.

Keep approved paint and dried swatches for comparison. Agree storage trials and acceptance criteria before production, then check shipment samples and arrival stock against them. Avoid approving a whole range from a sample of the white paint alone.

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.