Sourcing pearlescent pastes from China

Duty on non-aqueous pearlescent pastes

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 3212 covers pigments dispersed in non-aqueous media, in liquid or paste form, of a kind used to manufacture paints, alongside stamping foils and retail colouring matter. The relevant line, 3212 90 00 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The table shows product variants sharing this tariff line.

The tariff attaches an ozone-depleting-substance restriction on entry into free circulation and waste import and export controls. Confirm the applicable declarations with your customs broker. Importing ozone-depleting substances into Great Britain requires a licence. If material from China is waste subject to notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm the waste classification and applicable import requirements with your broker before shipping.

Give your broker the composition, carrier and intended paint-manufacturing use to confirm the commodity code. Describe the supplied paste rather than just its dry pigment ingredient. See the wider non-aqueous tinting-paste guide for related products.

Specify the carrier and pearl effect

Specify the pigment substrate and coating, particle-size distribution, pigment loading, carrier solvent or resin, viscosity test conditions and intended paint system. Agree the shade, sparkle and colour change with viewing angle against retained coated panels. Fix the application method, substrate, base colour and film thickness used for comparison.

Request the ingredient identities and composition needed to assess UK REACH obligations. Registration is assessed per substance and legal entity; confirm the applicable threshold and treatment of substances within mixtures with HSE or your chemical adviser. Ask for an English safety data sheet and confirm when one is required with your chemical adviser. Check classification, hazard labels and packaging before sale in Great Britain.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 400 kg of non-aqueous silver-effect pearlescent pigment paste under 3212 90 00 00, invoiced at £6,800 free on board, with £700 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,500, so it is £1,500. 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

Appearance: compare coated panels against the retained reference under consistent lighting and at different viewing angles; check pearl brightness, shade, sparkle and streaking.

Compatibility: mix a sample into the actual paint binder using the agreed process; check flocculation, grit, application behaviour and the cured finish.

Settling: inspect separation and sediment, then check whether the paste redistributes under the agreed stirring method without persistent lumps.

Packing and records: check seals, leaks, net contents and batch identity against the certificate of analysis; check that safety information and labels match the supplied formulation.

What goes wrong

A matching wet paste can produce a different pearl effect after application because the base colour, film thickness or flake orientation differs. Carrier substitution can cause flocculation or poor curing. Excessive mixing can damage flakes, while hard sediment makes dosing inconsistent.

Approve a trial in the actual paint system before ordering. Agree batch acceptance against retained panels and a documented mixing method. Treat a change of carrier, pigment coating or particle-size distribution as a reason to repeat the trial.

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.