Sourcing hunting whips from China

Hunting whip duty and material controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6602 covers walking sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and similar goods. Hunting whips fall within this wider heading. The supplied tariff extract contains only the hand-made and other lines shown here; both carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed.

Both lines attach an import prohibition for torture and repression goods, CITES import controls and seal-product import controls. They also attach torture-goods export restrictions and CITES export controls. These measures require checks against the actual design and materials; the tariff heading alone does not establish that a hunting whip is prohibited.

Give your customs broker photographs, a materials list and the manufacturing method to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading and another whip family, see carriage-driving whips.

Specify the hunting whip handle, shaft and thong

Describe the intended equestrian use and approve a complete sample. Specify handle shape, hooked head if required, shaft length and flexibility, grip covering, thong length and taper, attachment loop and replaceable lash arrangement. Identify whether the order includes the thong and lash or only the handle and shaft.

Name the wood, leather and any horn used, including the species and source. Agree whether apparent horn is natural horn or moulded imitation. Specify stitching, binding, ferrule finish and how the handle joins the shaft. Keep an approved sample for comparison with production.

For consumer sales in Great Britain, the general product safety rules require safety during normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Assess loose heads, exposed shaft fibres, sharp fittings and failure of the thong attachment. Agree production checks and retain their results.

The import ban covers multiple-lash whips and whips with barbs, hooks, spikes, metal wire or similar impact-enhancing objects on their lashes or thongs. Check the complete construction rather than relying on the supplier's hunting-whip description.

For CITES-listed materials, confirm the required documentation with APHA and the Chinese management authority. The official guidance requires corresponding import or export permits from the country involved. Identify the species before committing to a material choice.

Seal-product trade imports are restricted to qualifying traditional indigenous hunts and require a seal catch attestation from a recognised body. Specify alternatives to seal skin. If seal material is proposed, have your customs broker confirm eligibility and documentation before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 80 hand-made hunting whips under 6602 00 00 10, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,900. Duty at 2% is £198. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,098, so it is £2,019.60. Import taxes total £2,217.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £198 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Handle and shaft: compare shape, dimensions, balance and flexibility with the approved sample; check for cracks, splinters and movement at the joint.

Thong and lash: check taper, stitching, binding and attachment security; flex production samples and inspect for splitting, loose fibres and pulled seams.

Materials and finish: match leather, wood and any horn to the agreed materials list; rub the grip with a damp cloth to check colour transfer and inspect fittings for sharp edges.

Packing and identification: check that packing prevents bent shafts and crushed thong loops, and that product references match the order. Set out these checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A sample can conceal weak handle bonding, thin leather beneath the binding or a loosely secured thong loop. Production substitutions can change shaft stiffness, grip feel and the appearance of natural horn. Compare unpacked production samples with the approved sample and record any changes before accepting the batch.

Descriptions such as traditional leather or natural handle do not identify the species. Resolve unclear materials and unusual lash construction before payment or dispatch. For onward exports, the tariff also flags CITES and torture-goods controls; ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirements.

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.