Sourcing metal ornaments and photo frames from China

Duty at 0% or 2%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, non-electric bells and gongs of base metal, statuettes and other ornaments plated with precious metal or not, carried 0% duty on goods from China, and photograph, picture or similar frames and mirrors of base metal carried 2%. None had an anti-dumping measure. For gongs, see our guide to sourcing brass gongs.

Frames of wood or plastics and glass mirrors are in other headings; confirm the commodity code from the main material.

Lead and REACH

Entry 63 of Annex XVII to UK REACH limits lead to 0.05% by weight in articles supplied to the general public that could be placed in the mouth by children, with some exemptions. Zinc alloy and brass ornaments can exceed that, so specify the alloy and test samples; the REACH guide covers the wider rules.

Safety and plating

Ornaments and frames must be safe under general product safety law: no sharp edges, stable bases, and secure glazing in frames. Items that look like toys may be treated as toys; the toy safety guide explains the test. Ask for plating thickness and a salt spray result where tarnish matters.

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 8,000 zinc alloy photo frames under 8306 30 00 00, add the £1,600 of freight and insurance to the £20,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £21,600. At 2%, duty on these metal photo frames is £432; import VAT of £4,406.40 is 20% of the value with duty added. Together that is £4,838.40, but a VAT-registered importer usually gets the VAT back. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

Inspection checklist

Lead and other substances: every alloy and finish screened by XRF, with any result near the UK REACH Annex XVII entry 63 limit confirmed by acid digestion and ICP analysis at an accredited laboratory, and paints and brazing checked for cadmium under entry 23.

Finish: plating thickness measured by XRF or the coulometric method of ISO 2177 on sampled pieces, lacquer and paint adhesion checked by the cross-cut test of ISO 2409, and a neutral salt spray test to ISO 9227 run for the number of hours agreed in the specification where tarnish matters.

Frames and packing: the inner opening measured against the photo size on the label, glass edges checked for sharpness, the easel stand checked for stability at its set angle and hanging fittings load-tested against a multiple of the frame's weight, and packed units drop-tested to ISTA 1A.

What goes wrong

Metal ornaments and frames fail on plating, castings and lead. Thin plating on zinc alloy tarnishes or peels, porous castings show pits and bubbles through the finish, and colour differs between plating batches. Zinc alloy and brass pieces can exceed the lead limit for items children could put in the mouth, and frames arrive with glass loose, backs that do not close or stands that break.

Test samples for lead and check plating thickness and a salt spray or humidity test where tarnish matters, compare finish and colour with the approved sample under good light, check castings for pits and sharp edges, and test stands, hangers and glass retention. Wrap each piece and drop-test the packed carton.

Packing and inspection

Heavy castings and glass fronts break in transit, so agree inner boxes and drop tests. At inspection, check finish, colour against the approved sample, and hanging fittings.

Cambridge China Bridge sources metal ornaments, bells and photo frames, with alloy, finish and packing settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works. For the reverse trade route, see exporting UK home decor to China.