Sourcing notebooks and card games from China
For notebooks, planners and card games printed in China, fix the paper, binding, cover finish, print colours and packaging in writing, approve a printed proof, and have someone at the press for the first run. Games designed for play by children under 14 are toys under the UK rules. Cambridge China Bridge's own staff in China attend press checks and inspect before shipping.
Buying from China for a business? How our UK China sourcing agent service works · China sourcing agent for small orders and first imports
Products and search terms
notebooks, planners, stationery, card games, board games, printed paper products
Specify the paper and the print, not just the product
Varying paper quality and slipping dates usually trace back to a specification that named the product but not the paper. Name the paper stock, its weight and finish, the binding, the cover material and the print colours, and state that no paper or board may be substituted without approval. Keep a signed proof and a finished sample as the standard for every reprint.
Paper and paperboard products of chapter 48, such as cartons, boxes, labels and notebooks, are within the scope of the UK Timber Regulations, except bamboo-based and recovered (waste and scrap) products. The business that first places them on the GB market, usually the importer, must carry out due diligence on the timber behind the paper, so ask the supplier for the pulp source, species and country of harvest, and any FSC or PEFC chain of custody certificate.
| Part | Specify | Approve on the proof or sample |
|---|---|---|
| Paper and board | Stock, weight, finish, colour and any certified-paper claim with its certificate | Feel, show-through and the certificate naming the paper used |
| Binding and covers | Binding method, cover board and finish, corners, elastic, ribbon or pocket | Lay-flat, strength of the binding and cover finish |
| Colour references, inks, registration and special finishes | Colour against the proof and registration | |
| Cards and game boxes | Card stock and finish, cut and corners, tuck box or rigid box, inserts and rulebook | Shuffle feel, cut consistency, box fit and component count |
| Packing | Shrink-wrap, inner and outer cartons, carton marks | Packed cartons opened and counted |
UK import duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, playing cards under 9504 40 00 00 carried 2% on goods from China, and other games under heading 9504, including board games, games tables and video game consoles, carried 0%. No line carried anti-dumping duty. Notebooks, planners and other stationery of paper are chapter 48 and have their own rates; confirm the commodity code for each item in the range.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty |
|---|---|---|
| Playing cards | 9504 40 00 00 | 2% |
| Video game consoles and machines | 9504 50 00 00 | 0% |
| Coin, card or token operated games with a screen | 9504 30 10 00 | 0% |
| Other coin, card or token operated games | 9504 30 20 00 | 0% |
| Billiards articles and accessories | 9504 20 00 00 | 0% |
| Other table and parlour games (for example board games, darts, games tables) | 9504 90 80 00 | 0% |
Press checks and lead times
The first sheets off the press decide the whole run. A press check compares them against the approved proof for colour, registration and paper before the printer commits the rest. Our own staff in China attend press checks, then check bound or boxed goods and count cartons before shipment, so paper or colour drift is caught while it can still be corrected.
Printers book their presses in advance, and seasonal stationery peaks at the same time every year. Approve artwork and proofs early, agree the production slot in writing and follow it against the dates. The production delay guide covers what to do when a date slips.
Games, children and small runs
UK toy rules treat as toys products designed or intended for use in play by children under 14. A card or board game aimed at that age group is assessed as a toy, so plan the testing and warnings with the printer before production. The toys and games guide covers the steps.
We add no minimum order of our own, so a first run of a few hundred games or notebooks is fine; printers set their own minimums by format and finish. For an enquiry, send the format, page or card count, paper, finishes, quantity, delivery address and date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print 500 card games in China?
Yes. We add no minimum of our own; printers set minimums by format and finish, and a few hundred boxed games is a common first run.
How do I stop paper quality varying between print runs?
Name the paper stock, weight and finish in the order, forbid substitution without approval, and keep a signed proof and finished sample as the standard.
Is a card game a toy under UK rules?
It is if it is designed or intended for use in play by children under 14; then it is assessed as a toy.