Sourcing radiation gloves from China

Duty and suspension eligibility

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 4015 covers apparel and clothing accessories of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber. Radiation-attenuating rubber gloves of a kind used for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes fall within 4015 12 00 00; other rubber gloves fall within 4015 19 00 00. The table separates purchasing variants sharing these commodity lines.

Both glove lines have a 2% base duty for goods from China. Each lists a 0.00 % autonomous tariff suspension: the medical line restricts it to surgical rubber gloves, while the other-gloves line restricts it to other rubber gloves under that code. Both exclude mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. Ask your broker to assess the exact construction. Neither line lists anti-dumping or countervailing duty or attached import controls.

Confirm the rubber, shielding material, construction and intended use through finding your commodity code. A shielding claim does not itself settle classification or suspension eligibility. For the wider heading, see electrical insulating rubber gloves.

Specify the shielding claim and glove construction

State the intended radiation source, working conditions, claimed attenuation and test conditions. Specify the rubber compound, shielding filler, lead-containing or lead-free construction, palm and finger thickness, cuff coverage, size dimensions and dexterity. Request finished-glove test reports identifying the exact model and construction, rather than a report for a flat material sample. Approve samples for grip, fit and handling of the intended instruments.

For sale in Great Britain, confirm with the relevant product-safety authority the importer's obligations concerning the manufacturer's conformity assessment, technical documentation, relevant marking, declaration of conformity and identification marks. Confirm whether CE or UKCA may be used under the applicable route, together with requirements for importer identification and clear English instructions and safety information. Ask the assessor to confirm the risk category and assessment route for the claimed radiation protection.

Protective equipment against external irradiation must bear a mark indicating the type and equivalent thickness of its constituent material suitable for foreseeable use. Match that marking to the finished-glove evidence and intended conditions. Use testing and certification support to review the proposed claims before approving packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business order of paired reusable industrial radiation-attenuating rubber gloves; base-duty calculation before any suspension under 4015 19 00 00, invoiced at £5,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,000. Duty at 2% is £140. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,140, so it is £1,428. Import taxes total £1,568; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £140 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Shielding evidence: match the delivered model, material formulation and batch identity to the approved documents; arrange competent attenuation testing against the agreed conditions.

Rubber condition: inspect palms, fingertips, finger webs and cuffs for cracks, punctures, thin areas, embedded particles, tackiness and damage from folding.

Fit and coverage: compare dimensions, cuff length, flexibility and grip with the retained sample; check matching pairs and any interfaces with other protective clothing.

Markings and packing: check the material type and equivalent-thickness marking, relevant CE or UKCA marking, importer details and English instructions. Check storage information and packaging condition against the approved documents.

What goes wrong

A supplier may substitute a different shielding compound or provide an attenuation report for sheet material rather than the finished glove. Finger and cuff construction can differ from the tested sample. Hold discrepant stock until the supplier and testing provider establish whether the delivered gloves meet the agreed specification.

Another error is treating gloves used in a medical setting as automatically eligible for the surgical-glove suspension. Confirm the tariff description and construction before costing the order. Keep performance approval separate from appearance checks: an intact surface does not demonstrate the claimed attenuation.

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.