Sourcing Hydrolysed Keratin from China

Duty and animal-origin import checks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3504 covers protein substances and their derivatives not elsewhere specified or included. Unblended hydrolysed keratin is a candidate for 3504 00 90 99. That line carries 2% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Its suspension applies to zein, not keratin.

The tariff attaches veterinary control and import control of organic products. APHA requires hydrolysed protein to be produced in an establishment approved to export to Great Britain. Before ordering from China, ask your customs broker to confirm country eligibility, the applicable veterinary documents and border procedure for the animal source and intended use. For organic claims, ask the broker to confirm whether a GB certificate of inspection is required.

Give the broker the animal source, processing description, complete composition and intended use to confirm the commodity code, particularly for preserved solutions or blends. See the hydrolysed wheat protein guide for another product family within this heading.

Specify the keratin source and formulation behaviour

Specify whether the keratin comes from wool, feathers or another declared material. Request the actual manufacturer's identity, source traceability, hydrolysis process and full composition, including water, preservatives and carriers. Agree whether the order is powder or solution and compare offers on active material rather than shipment weight alone.

Agree protein or peptide assay, molecular-weight profile, moisture or solids, acidity, ash, colour, odour and solubility using stated test methods. Trial the sample in your own shampoo or conditioner for haze, precipitation and viscosity changes. Before a finished cosmetic is made available to consumers, its safety must be checked by a qualified safety assessor.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business order: 20 kg of hydrolysed keratin powder under 3504 00 90 99, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £860 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,860. Duty at 2% is £77.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,937.20, so it is £787.44. Import taxes total £864.64; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £77.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the manufacturer, animal source, composition and batch details to the approved sample and purchase specification.

Condition: check seals, leaks, damp powder, caking, unexpected odour and colour changes on arrival.

Batch testing: compare assay, solids, acidity and microbiological results with the agreed methods and acceptance criteria.

Performance: repeat the formulation trial with an arrival sample and retain a sealed sample for comparison.

What goes wrong

A supplier may substitute a different protein hydrolysate or dilute a solution while keeping the same product description. Changed molecular-weight distribution, salts or preservatives can alter clarity and viscosity. A sample that works in water may precipitate in the finished formulation.

Border problems arise when the animal source or actual production establishment is unclear. A tariff code and a factory's certificate of analysis do not establish import eligibility. Resolve the veterinary-control requirements with the broker before shipment, and hold a batch that differs from the agreed specification.

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.