Sourcing pillar candles from China

Zero duty on pillar candles

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3406 covers candles, tapers and the like. Pillar candles fall within commodity code 3406 00 00 00. The supplied tariff extract contains only this commodity line, so the table shows it once.

The recorded duty on goods from China is 0%. The extract lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, tariff suspension or attached import control. These tariff findings do not replace product safety checks.

Confirm the commodity code against the actual goods before declaration. For other candle formats and fragrance background, see the wider candle guide.

Specify the wax, wick and pillar shape

Specify wax composition, diameter, height, net weight, colour, surface finish, fragrance where used, and the intended holder or heat-resistant support. Agree a flat base, wick position and protective packaging against rubbing and crushing. Keep an approved sample for each ordered combination.

For sale in Great Britain, products must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Ask for burn reports matching each pillar size, wax, wick and fragrance combination. Assess dripping, flame behaviour, soot and stability throughout the burn, rather than accepting a report for a different candle.

For scented pillars, obtain the fragrance supplier's safety data sheet and settle any applicable hazard labelling from the fragrance data, as explained in the wider candle guide. Agree the warning artwork and instructions before production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-carton order of pillar candles for a homeware shop under 3406 00 00 00, invoiced at £2,200 free on board, with £1,168 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,368. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,368, so it is £673.60. 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

Shape: check diameter, height, weight, base flatness and upright stability against the agreed specification.

Wax and wick: check wick centring, surface cracks, air pockets, colour consistency and fragrance against the approved sample.

Burn: test production samples for tunnelling, dripping, soot, flame behaviour and loss of stability; use the agreed support and instructions.

Labels and packing: compare warnings and instructions with approved artwork, inspect scuffed surfaces and crushed edges, and retain batch identification with the inspection record.

What goes wrong

A wick that worked in a sample can behave differently after a wax or fragrance change. Pillars may tunnel, shed wax onto the support, soot or soften unevenly. A warped base can make a candle unstable. Agree that formulation or wick changes need fresh sample approval and burn assessment.

Transport damage often appears as rubbed colour, chipped rims, cracks or a distorted shape. Compare arrival samples with retained production samples to distinguish packing damage from manufacturing faults. Agree protective separation and carton support before shipment.

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.