Sourcing orthopaedic supports and braces from China
Orthopaedic appliances such as braces and supports, splints and hearing aids from China pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. A product intended to treat or alleviate an injury is a medical device under the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, so conformity assessment, a UK responsible person and MHRA registration need planning. Cambridge China Bridge sources orthopaedic and support products.
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Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, orthopaedic appliances, splints and other fracture appliances, hearing aids and their parts, and other devices in the heading carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. For mobility aids, see our elbow crutch sourcing guide. For fracture fixation implants, see our intramedullary nail sourcing guide. For UK-to-China trade, see our guide to exporting orthopaedic implants.
A sports support sold only for comfort may be classified as clothing or a sports article rather than an orthopaedic appliance, so confirm the commodity code against the product and its claims.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopaedic appliances | 9021 10 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Splints and other fracture appliances | 9021 10 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Hearing aids, excluding parts and accessories | 9021 40 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts and accessories of hearing aids | 9021 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
When it is a medical device
Regulation 2 of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 defines a medical device by what the manufacturer intends it for, including the treatment or alleviation of an injury or handicap, and compensation for them. A knee brace sold to support an injured joint, or a wrist splint for a fracture, is a medical device; the same fabric sleeve sold for warmth during exercise may not be.
A medical device placed on the GB market needs the conformity assessment for its class, a UK responsible person where the manufacturer is outside the UK, and registration with the MHRA. The medical and PPE guide sets out how that works with a Chinese manufacturer.
Sizing and materials
Supports are sold by size, so give the factory the size chart and measurement points, and check them on production pieces at inspection. Skin-contact materials need to be tested for irritants, and neoprene and latex need a clear statement on the label for users with allergies.
Metal stays, hinges and fastenings are the parts that fail; ask for durability tests and check the stitching around them.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 20,000 knee and ankle supports, entered under 9021 10 10 00: £40,000 free on board plus £2,500 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £42,500. Orthopaedic supports carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £42,500, £8,500, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Some aids supplied to disabled people for their personal use can be zero-rated for VAT, so check HMRC's reliefs if you sell to that market. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Size and stretch: measure production pieces at the points on the size chart, and test the extension and recovery of elastic panels by the strip method of BS EN 14704-1 before and after five washes by an ISO 6330 procedure, against the values approved on the sample.
Skin-contact materials: ask for biocompatibility results on the actual fabrics, foams and adhesives by ISO 10993-5 for cytotoxicity, ISO 10993-10 for sensitisation and ISO 10993-23 for irritation, and check that natural rubber latex is shown with the ISO 15223-1 symbol where present.
Stays and fastenings: test metal stays and hinges by neutral salt spray to ISO 9227 for corrosion, ask for BS EN 1811 nickel release results for metal parts in skin contact, cycle hook-and-loop closures and buckles on samples, and check stitching around stays and edges on production pieces.
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What goes wrong
Supports fail on sizing, compression and skin contact. Size charts do not match the product, elastic loses its compression after a few washes, hook-and-loop closures wear out, and metal or plastic stays rust, crack or dig in. Fabrics and adhesives irritate skin, and boxes printed with medical claims copied from other markets turn a comfort product into a medical device without the registration it then needs.
Measure production pieces against the size chart, wash-test supports and re-measure compression and dimensions, cycle closures, check stays and edges, ask for skin irritation and sensitisation results from the ISO 10993 series for skin-contact materials, and approve box and leaflet wording against the product's device status before printing.
Claims and packaging
The claims on the box decide the rules, so agree the wording before printing. Factories often supply artwork with medical claims copied from other markets, which would make a comfort product a medical device.
Cambridge China Bridge sources orthopaedic supports, braces and splints, with the claims, sizing and device documents settled before production. See how our sourcing service works.
Related guides: Sourcing massage guns and massagers from China.
For medical, surgical and dental instruments, see Medical instruments and devices from China. For denture teeth, see our guide to sourcing prefabricated artificial denture teeth. For orthodontic products, see our orthodontic bracket sourcing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on knee braces from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, orthopaedic appliances carried 0% duty from China, as did splints and hearing aids, with no anti-dumping duty.
Is a knee brace a medical device?
If it is intended to treat or alleviate an injury, yes, under regulation 2 of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002. A sleeve sold only for warmth may not be.
What does a medical device from China need for GB?
The conformity assessment for its class, a UK responsible person if the manufacturer is outside the UK, and MHRA registration.
Why do the claims on the packaging matter?
They show the intended purpose, which decides whether the product is a medical device, so agree the wording before printing.