Sourcing silver tubing from China

UK duty on silver tubing

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7106 covers silver, including silver plated with gold or platinum, unwrought, semi-manufactured or in powder form. Silver tubing supplied as semi-manufactured material is the relevant product family under 7106 92 00 00. The table shows different tubing forms under this same commodity line.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for Chinese goods under this line, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure, suspension or attached import control. The waste controls recorded against silver powder are not attached to the semi-manufactured line.

Confirm the material and degree of manufacture using your drawing, alloy declaration and intended supply form. See finding your commodity code. For the wider heading, see silver wire. For electroplating supplies, see our silver electroplating anode sourcing guide. For bullion, see our silver bullion bar sourcing guide. For silver supplied as rods, see our silver rod sourcing guide.

Specify the alloy, bore and temper

State the silver content and alloy composition, outside diameter or profile, bore, wall thickness, cut length and tolerances. Specify seamless or seamed construction, annealed or harder temper, straightness, surface finish and whether the tube must withstand bending, flaring or soldering.

Approve a sample using your intended fabrication process. Agree how silver content will be tested and how each production batch will be identified. Request protected ends and packing that prevents rubbing, crushing and mixed sizes.

Official hallmarking guidance lists raw material, including tube, as exempt from compulsory hallmarking. Keep the supply description clear that this is tubing stock. For finished articles made from it, check the applicable hallmarking requirements separately.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 200 cut lengths of silver tubing, illustrative only under 7106 92 00 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £30,300. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,300, so it is £6,060. 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

Material: match batch identification to the alloy report and independently check silver content on production samples.

Dimensions: measure outside size, bore and wall thickness around the section; check cut length, straightness and ovality against the drawing.

Fabrication: trial bending, flaring or soldering as specified; inspect seams and check for cracking, splitting or collapse.

Condition: inspect ends for burrs and crushing, surfaces for scratches and tarnish, and bundles for mixed profiles. Plan these checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A tube can match the outside diameter while having an undersized bore or uneven wall. Incorrect temper can cause cracking during forming or collapse during bending. Seams can open during fabrication, and poorly protected ends can arrive flattened.

Surface appearance does not establish silver content. Compare production samples with the agreed alloy, weigh matching lengths as a consistency check, and investigate unexpected differences before accepting the batch.

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.