Sourcing hand saddle-stitching needles from China

Duty on hand saddle-stitching needles

Heading 7319 covers iron or steel hand sewing needles and related articles, including pins. Steel hand saddle-stitching needles fall within sewing, darning or embroidery needles, code 7319 90 10 00. The table shows product variants sharing that commodity line.

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

Confirm the commodity code against the material and hand-sewing use before shipment. For broader heading coverage, see curved upholstery sewing needles.

Specify needles for pre-punched leather

Specify a blunt tip for passing through pre-punched leather, needle length, shaft diameter, eye opening, steel, finish and pack count. Agree dimensions rather than relying on the supplier's size name. Send the intended thread and representative leather so the factory can demonstrate threading and passage through the prepared holes.

Approve a sample for eye smoothness, tip profile and resistance to bending. Check that the eye passes through the leather without excessive force and that the needle does not split the thread already in the hole.

For consumer sales in Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require safe products and information about risks that are not immediately obvious. Where reasonable, the product or packaging must identify the producer's name and address and the product reference or applicable batch. Agree secure needle retention and practical handling warnings before printing packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative stock order of assorted retail packs of steel hand saddle-stitching needles for a leathercraft supplier under 7319 90 10 00, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,200. Duty at 2% is £104. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,304, so it is £1,060.80. Import taxes total £1,164.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £104 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Eyes: inspect under magnification for burrs, rough plating and cracks; pull the intended thread through sampled eyes and check for fraying.

Tips and dimensions: compare tip shape, length, shaft diameter and eye opening with the approved sample; check for sharp, hooked or bent ends.

Stitching and temper: sew representative pre-punched leather with the intended thread; check for snagging, thread splitting, permanent bending or breakage.

Finish and packing: inspect for rust and flaking, count each sampled pack, check size separation and needle retention, and compare identity and batch details with the approved artwork.

What goes wrong

A needle sold as a saddle-stitching needle can arrive with a cutting point, an oversized eye or a rough eye edge. These can split thread, stretch prepared holes or make stitching difficult. Soft needles stay bent, brittle needles snap, and poor plating leaves rust marks on leather.

Keep the approved sample with the inspection brief and repeat the leather-and-thread trial on production samples. Mixed sizes and needles escaping their packs also need checking on arrival. Use the quality inspection guide to define the checks before ordering.

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.