Pig bristles and brush hair from China
Pig bristles and hair, and badger and other brush-making hair, from China pay 0% UK duty on both lines of heading 0502, with no anti-dumping duty. Bristles are animal by-products, so untreated material must meet the retained animal by-product import conditions, and the other-hair line carries the cat and dog fur control. Buyers grade on length, stiffness and colour.
Boiled pig bristles, hog hair and badger and other brush-making hair from China pay 0% UK duty. Animal by-product rules, grading and fur controls explained.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 0502 covers pigs', hogs' or boars' bristles and hair, and badger hair and other brush-making hair, with waste of such bristles or hair. Both lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure and no tariff suspension.
The tariff attaches the cat and dog fur import control to the other-hair line (0502 90 00 00), because the Cat and Dog Fur (Control of Import, Export and Placing on the Market) Regulations 2008 ban trade in cat and dog fur. Finished brushes are heading 9603 (see our brushes guide), so confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pigs', hogs' or boars' bristles and hair, and waste | 0502 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Badger hair and other brush-making hair, and waste | 0502 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Animal by-product rules
Pig bristles and hair are animal by-products under retained Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, and the import conditions in retained Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 set out the treatment and documents required, which differ for untreated and treated material. Ask the processor how the bristles were treated, and check the current conditions with the Animal and Plant Health Agency before the first shipment.
Boiled, bleached and dressed bristles for brush making are the usual trade form; raw bristle carries more controls and more risk of rejection.
Specifying bristles
Specify origin animal, colour (black, white, grey, yellow or bleached), length in millimetres and length distribution, stiffness, percentage of flagged tips, cleanliness and odour, dressing (tied in bundles or loose), moisture, and packing.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 2 tonnes of boiled and bleached pig bristles for paintbrushes, entered under 0502 10 00 00: £48,000 free on board plus £900 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £48,900. Pig bristles carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £48,900, £9,780, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Grading: measure length distribution on sampled bundles, check the share of full-length bristles and flagged tips, and compare colour and stiffness with the approved sample.
Cleanliness: check for skin, dust, grease and odour, and that the treatment matches the documents.
Documents: check the animal by-product documents and treatment statement match the consignment before shipping.
What goes wrong
Bristle orders fail on grading, treatment and paperwork. Bundles are padded with short or broken hairs, colour is uneven after bleaching, bristles smell or carry residue, and consignments are held because the treatment documents do not meet the import conditions.
Grade samples, check treatment and settle the documents first. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources bristles and brush hair for UK brush makers, checking the processor's grading and treatment first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on pig bristles from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, pig bristles under 0502 10 00 00 carried 0% from China, with no anti-dumping duty.
Are pig bristles animal by-products?
Yes. They fall under retained Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, with import conditions depending on treatment.
Why does badger hair carry a fur control?
The other-hair line carries the cat and dog fur import control, which bans trade in cat and dog fur.
Are finished paintbrushes in heading 0502?
No. Finished brushes are heading 9603.