Sourcing shepherd's crooks from China

2% duty on shepherd's crooks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 6602 covers walking sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and the like. For shepherd's crooks classified here, the hand-made line is 6602 00 00 10 and the other line is 6602 00 00 90. Both carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed. The material variants in the table share these tariff lines.

The tariff attaches CITES, seal-product and torture-goods import controls. CITES-listed materials may require permits; identify the species and confirm the paperwork with your customs broker. Seal components intended for sale in Great Britain must qualify under the Inuit and other indigenous communities' exemption. The torture-goods notice sets out a banned-import list; ask your broker to check the design against it and confirm the tariff prohibition's application before ordering.

The tariff also attaches CITES and torture-goods export controls; confirm requirements with your customs broker before onward export. Submit photographs, material details, intended use and manufacturing information when confirming the commodity code. The wider heading is discussed in our livestock handling whips guide.

Specify the hook and shaft

State whether the crook is for livestock handling or display. Specify overall length, shaft diameter, weight, hook opening, curve, tip shape and grip. For wooden crooks, identify the wood species and agree acceptable grain, knots and surface finish. For metal crooks, specify the metal, tube wall, coating and hook attachment. Approve a drawing and a physical sample before production.

Agree a bending and joint-strength test suited to the intended handling task, including the load, method and acceptance criteria. Check the hook against a template rather than relying on photographs. Crooks sold as consumer products in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; assess sharp tips, splinters and joint failure alongside the intended use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 198 metal shepherd's crooks; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 6602 00 00 90, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £198 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,198. Duty at 2% is £43.96. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,241.96, so it is £448.39. Import taxes total £492.35; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £43.96 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Hook: compare opening, curve and tip shape with the approved template; check for burrs, rough welds and sharp edges.

Shaft: check straightness, dimensions and grip; inspect wood for cracks and splinters, and metal for dents, corrosion and coating damage.

Joints: repeat the agreed strength test on production samples; check that the hook cannot rotate or pull away from the shaft.

Arrival: unpack samples and check for bent hooks, damp wood and loose fittings; compare material descriptions and product identification with the order. Use our quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A changed hook opening can make the crook unsuitable for the intended handling task. Thin tubing can bend, a poorly fixed hook can rotate, and wood can split around the curved head or fixing. Rough tips and exposed welds can catch on fleece. Check these failure points against the approved sample.

Loose bundles can arrive with bent hooks and scratched coatings. Agree protective packing around the hook and separation between shafts. Ask the supplier to disclose material substitutions before production, especially changes to wood species or animal-derived fittings.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.