Sourcing metal desktop paperweights from China

Duty and classification for metal paperweights

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 8304 covers filing and card-index cabinets, paper trays, paper rests, pen trays, office-stamp stands and similar office or desk equipment of base metal, excluding office furniture. This guide concerns metal desktop paperweights proposed for classification as similar desk equipment. See the wider metal desk accessories guide.

The supplied line, 8304 00 00 00, carries 2% duty for goods from China. The record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The table repeats this line for paperweight variants; these are not separate tariff lines.

Send your customs broker photographs, material details, dimensions and a description of the paperweight's desk function to confirm the commodity code. Describe decorative features and any non-metal components rather than relying on the supplier's product name.

Specify weight, base contact and engraving

Specify metal grade, solid or hollow construction, any internal ballast, finished weight and its agreed tolerance. Record dimensions, edge rounding, base flatness and the felt or rubber backing. Approve the paperweight on the intended paper and desk surface, checking that it holds sheets without rocking, marking them or scratching the desk.

Agree plating or coating, colour, engraving position, artwork orientation and packaging that separates metal surfaces. Keep an approved finished sample. For consumer sales, importers are responsible for product safety and applicable labelling; demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements before placing goods on the market. Keep supplier records so the goods can be traced.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 steel desktop paperweights; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 8304 00 00 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 2% is £152. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,752, so it is £1,550.40. Import taxes total £1,702.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £152 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Weight and construction: weigh sampled finished pieces against the agreed tolerance; check for loose ballast, rattling and unsecured plugs or inserts.

Base and edges: check flatness, backing coverage and adhesion; look for burrs and exposed metal that could scratch paper or the desk.

Finish and engraving: compare colour and surface finish with the approved sample; check artwork, spelling, alignment, legibility and coating damage.

Packing and arrival: check individual protection, crushed boxes, detached backing and contact scratches after unpacking. Use the agreed scope for a shipment inspection.

What goes wrong

A matching shape can conceal a lighter hollow casting or different ballast. Uneven bases rock, thin backing exposes metal, and weak adhesive lets felt slide away. Poor polishing leaves burrs; plating can blister or tarnish, while loose packing allows heavy pieces to strike each other.

Record the finished weight and construction in the purchase specification, approve backing on the actual desk surface and compare production engraving with signed-off artwork. Use separate protective compartments and inspect packed production samples rather than relying only on an unpacked display sample.

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.