Sourcing imitation parchment paper from China

Duty and classification for imitation parchment

Heading 4806 covers vegetable parchment, greaseproof, tracing and glassine and other glazed transparent or translucent papers in rolls or sheets. For imitation parchment matching the greaseproof description, check 4806 20 00 00. The table includes neighbouring grades for comparison, rather than treating every line as imitation parchment.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all the listed lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls. These tariff entries do not replace food contact or timber obligations.

Confirm the commodity code using the paper composition, treatment and imported form. Silicone-, wax- or plastics-coated or impregnated paper falls outside heading 4806; paper cut to shape for a use can fall under heading 4823. Compare the grades in our greaseproof and glassine paper guide.

Specify grease resistance and intended food use

Describe the product as an agreed paper grade rather than relying on the name imitation parchment. Specify grammage, colour, surface finish, reel width, core dimensions, winding direction and permitted splices. Ask how grease resistance is achieved and record any coating or chemical treatment. Approve a sample tested with the intended food, including folded areas.

Food contact paper must comply with assimilated Regulation 1935/2004. Confirm constituent-transfer requirements for the intended use with the relevant food authority. Ask for a supplier compliance statement and test reports relevant to the actual paper, food type, contact duration and temperature. Grease resistance alone does not establish food contact safety.

Paper made from virgin pulp placed on the Great Britain market falls within the UK Timber Regulations. Confirm the importer's applicable due-diligence obligations for the fibre source with the relevant timber-regulations authority before first placing it on that market. Obtain the pulp source, species and country of harvest, and record the virgin and recovered fibre content.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of uncoated imitation parchment greaseproof paper in reels under 4806 20 00 00, invoiced at £26,000 free on board, with £2,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £28,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £28,800, so it is £5,760. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Grease barrier: test flat and folded samples with the intended food under the agreed conditions; compare staining and soak-through with the approved sample.

Paper consistency: check grammage, colour, finish, pinholes and moisture variation across samples from different reels.

Reel condition: measure width and core dimensions; inspect crushed edges, damaged cores, uneven winding and unmarked splices.

Cleanliness and records: check for damp wrapping, mould, foreign matter and unusual odour; match lot identification to the supplier statement and relevant test reports.

What goes wrong

A sample can resist grease while production paper leaks at folds or pinholes. Variable moisture can cause curl during converting, and damaged edges or cores can interrupt unwinding. Keep an approved reference sample and agree how incoming lots will be sampled and checked.

The name parchment can hide a change in paper grade or treatment. A substituted coated grade changes the classification question, while a generic food contact report may not describe the delivered material. Check the treatment and report scope before accepting a substitution or approving repeat production.

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.