Sourcing hot stamping foils from China
Hot stamping foils from China, such as metallised gold and silver, pigment and holographic foils, pay 0% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty. The foil must be matched to the substrate and stamping temperature, and foil used on packaging counts toward the heavy-metal limit of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015. Cambridge China Bridge sources foils.
Hot stamping and heat transfer foils from China pay 0% UK duty. Matching foil to substrate, adhesion and rub tests, packaging heavy-metal limits and an example.
Zero duty on stamping foils
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, stamping foils (3212 10 00 00) and other pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media and dyes put up for retail sale (3212 90 00 00) carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Plain aluminium foil is covered in our aluminium foil guide, and printed retail packaging in our packaging sector page. Confirm the commodity code from whether the foil is a transfer film with a release and adhesive layer or a plain metal foil.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamping foils | 3212 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other pigments in non-aqueous media; dyes for retail sale | 3212 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Matching and packaging rules
Foils are made for particular substrates and processes, such as coated or uncoated board, varnished print, paper, plastics, leather or textiles, and for flat, round or cold foiling, so give the supplier samples of the actual substrate, the stamping temperature, pressure and dwell time, and the finish over which the foil will sit.
Where the foil goes onto packaging, the combined lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium in the packaging and its components must stay within the limit in the [Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1640/contents), so ask for a heavy-metal test report. Packaging made with the foil also counts under packaging EPR for the obligated business.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: 400 rolls of gold hot stamping foil, 640 mm × 120 m, commodity code 3212 10 00 00, bought for £6,800 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance, so £7,500 is the value customs works from. No duty is due on stamping foils; import VAT at 20% of £7,500 is £1,500. If you are VAT-registered, that VAT is normally reclaimable. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.
What goes wrong
Foils fail on transfer, adhesion and appearance. Foil will not release cleanly at the press temperature, leaving flaking or fill-in in fine lines; it sticks to the print but rubs off in handling; colour and brightness vary between lots; holographic patterns are misregistered; and rolls arrive with creases, wrong widths or core sizes that do not fit the machine.
Run a press trial on the buyer's substrate with each new lot, test adhesion with the tape method and rub resistance on a rub tester, compare colour against the approved standard under controlled light, measure roll width, length and core diameter, and check heavy-metal reports for foils used on packaging.
Cambridge China Bridge sources hot stamping and holographic foils for printers, packaging converters and leather goods makers, including a second source when an existing supplier's lots vary. See our second-supplier service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on hot stamping foil from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, stamping foils carried 0% from China.
Do stamping foils on packaging have heavy-metal limits?
Yes. Packaging and its components must meet the heavy-metal limit of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015.
Why does my foil flake or fail to stick?
The foil grade may not suit the substrate or press temperature; run a press trial on the actual material.
How do I check foil quality?
Press trial, tape adhesion and rub tests, colour against a standard, and roll dimensions.