Sourcing Hand Embroidery Needles from China

Hand embroidery needle duty

Heading 7319 covers iron or steel needles and similar articles for use in the hand, as well as pins. Hand embroidery needles fall within 7319 90 10 00, the line for sewing, darning or embroidery needles. The table shows different embroidery needle formats sharing this commodity code.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the duty for goods from China was 2%. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Confirm the material and hand-use description against the commodity code guide. For the other products in this heading, see sewing needles and pins.

Specify the eye, point and embroidery use

State whether the needle is for surface embroidery or counted-thread work, and specify a sharp or blunt point accordingly. Agree length, shaft diameter, size designation, eye opening, steel, plating and pack assortment. Send the factory your intended thread and fabric with the approved sample so that eye clearance and penetration can be checked together.

Consumer needles supplied in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Specify packaging that contains the points and warnings to keep needles away from young children. Confirm with Trading Standards what producer name and address and product reference or batch identification should appear on the product or packaging. Needles included in craft kits marketed for children also need the whole kit's toy safety rules considered.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 200,000 hand embroidery needles, illustrative order under 7319 90 10 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,200. Duty at 2% is £344. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,544, so it is £3,508.80. Import taxes total £3,852.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £344 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Eye finish: inspect under magnification and pull the intended embroidery thread through sampled eyes. Reject burrs that snag, fray or cut the thread.

Point and dimensions: compare length, shaft diameter, eye opening and point shape with the approved sample. Check for bent shafts, hooked tips and mixed sizes.

Temper and plating: check agreed hardness and spring behaviour. Inspect for exposed steel, flaking finish and rust, and agree a corrosion test suited to the coating.

Pack and identification: count the needles, compare the assortment with the label, check point containment and secure closure, and verify producer and batch details. Arrange quality inspection around the approved sample.

What goes wrong

A smooth-looking eye can still have an internal burr that damages stranded thread. An undersized eye makes threading difficult, while the wrong point can snag the intended fabric. Soft needles stay bent; brittle needles snap. Poor plating can leave rust marks on fabric.

Mixed assortments can contain the wrong sizes or short counts, and loose needles can escape damaged packs. Keep the approved sample, thread trial and packaging specification together so that the factory and inspector judge the same product.

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.