Sourcing spectacle frames from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, frames and mountings of plastics, of base metal and of other materials, and parts of spectacle frames such as temples, hinges and nose pads, carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. Finished spectacles and sunglasses with lenses are in heading 9004; see the sunglasses guide, and confirm the commodity code.

Device status, standard and chemicals

Frames intended to hold corrective lenses are generally treated as class I medical devices under the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, so the manufacturer needs a declaration of conformity, UKCA or CE marking and registration with the MHRA, with a UK responsible person for an overseas maker. The frame standard BS EN ISO 12870 covers dimensional tolerances, resistance to perspiration, bridge deformation, endurance and nickel release, and frames carry the eye size, bridge and temple length markings from ISO 8624.

Metal frames and parts in prolonged contact with the skin must meet the nickel release limit in entry 27 of UK REACH Annex XVII, and plastic frames should be free of restricted plasticisers. Customers such as opticians expect the frame marking, a model and colour code and spare parts availability.

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 10,000 titanium and steel spectacle frames under 9003 19 00 40, add the £1,500 of freight and insurance to the £45,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £46,500. Duty on spectacle frames is zero, leaving import VAT of £9,300, 20% of the customs value. For a VAT-registered buyer that is a cash-flow cost rather than a lasting one. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

Inspection checklist

Frame tests: samples from each model tested to BS EN ISO 12870 for dimensional stability at elevated temperature, resistance to perspiration, bridge deformation and endurance of the hinges, with the eye size, bridge and temple length printed on the frame checked against measurements to ISO 8624.

Materials and nickel: metal parts in prolonged skin contact tested for nickel release by BS EN 1811 against the UK REACH Annex XVII entry 27 limit, frames sold as titanium checked with a handheld XRF analyser so coated steel is not passed off, and acetate checked for warping and discolouration after the perspiration test.

Finish and paperwork: hinge screws checked for thread locking and torque, plating and paint rubbed and inspected for bubbling, the medical device declaration of conformity, UK responsible person and MHRA registration confirmed for frames intended for corrective lenses, and cartons sampled to ISO 2859-1 for scratches and missing nose pads.

What goes wrong

Frames fail on hinges, finish and fit. Screws loosen and spring hinges break, plating or paint corrodes under perspiration, acetate frames warp or discolour, and titanium frames turn out to be steel or a titanium-coated alloy. Eye size and bridge dimensions differ from the marking, so lenses do not fit, and nickel release from cheap metal parts causes skin reactions.

Test samples to the BS EN ISO 12870 requirements for perspiration resistance, bridge deformation and endurance, check dimensions against the ISO 8624 markings, verify titanium and other claimed materials with XRF, ask for nickel release test reports for skin-contact parts, cycle hinges, and check the device documentation and markings before shipment.

Cambridge China Bridge sources acetate, metal and titanium spectacle frames, with standard testing, device paperwork and spare parts agreed before production. Read how we manage regulated products.