Sourcing stainless steel weaving wire from China
Stainless steel weaving wire from China carries 0% UK duty across heading 7223, with no listed trade remedy or steel measure. Choose the code by alloy composition and confirm the tariff's waste-control flag with your broker. Specify diameter, temper and spool payout for your loom. Cambridge China Bridge sources stainless steel weaving wire.
Zero duty on stainless steel weaving wire
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7223 covers wire of stainless steel, including wire supplied for weaving. Every supplied commodity line carries 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension is listed. The table separates ordinary alloy choices from special compositions; select the line from the mill's chemistry, rather than the description 'weaving wire'.
The tariff attaches waste import and export controls to every line. Ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for your China shipment, including whether the material is treated as waste. For waste imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in the country of dispatch for consent. Confirm waste-export requirements separately before arranging a return shipment.
The UK carbon border adjustment mechanism starts on 1 January 2027; confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether heading 7223 falls within its scope. Ask the mill for emissions data and review the carbon border adjustment guide. Confirm alloy composition and supplied form using finding your commodity code. For related wire specifications, see stainless steel spring wire. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wire with nickel at least 2.5%, other, including 304 and 316 | 7223 00 19 00 | 0% | None |
| Wire with nickel below 2.5%, other, including 430 | 7223 00 99 00 | 0% | None |
| Special alloy wire with nickel 28% to 31% and chromium 20% to 22% | 7223 00 11 00 | 0% | None |
| Wire with nickel below 2.5%, chromium 13% to 25% and aluminium 3.5% to 6% | 7223 00 91 00 | 0% | None |
Specify weaving behaviour and spool payout
Specify the stainless grade, diameter and tolerance, ovality, annealed or drawn condition, tensile strength and elongation. Describe the intended mesh and loom process. Agree surface finish, acceptable drawing lubricant, spool dimensions, winding direction, coil weight and how joins must be identified. Ask for a mill certificate linking chemistry and mechanical results to each heat.
Approve a sample by running it through your loom. Check bending behaviour, breakage, springback and consistent payout, then retain it as the comparison sample. Ask for alloy, coating and lubricant information to review applicable UK REACH restrictions before sale or use. REACH restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on the manufacture, marketing or use of substances.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of 304 stainless steel weaving wire; illustrative FOB and freight values under 7223 00 19 00, invoiced at £32,000 free on board, with £1,100 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,100. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £33,100, so it is £6,620. 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
Grade and traceability: match spool tags to heat certificates and independently check alloy composition on samples from each heat.
Diameter and temper: measure diameter and ovality along sample lengths; compare tensile strength and elongation with the agreed specification.
Surface: inspect for scratches, rust spots, drawing defects and lubricant residue that could affect weaving or subsequent cleaning.
Payout and packing: unwind sample spools to check crossed turns, snags and hidden joins; inspect spool damage, moisture protection and labels on arrival.
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What goes wrong
A sample can weave well while production wire arrives with a different temper or inconsistent diameter. The result can be broken wire, uneven openings or excessive springback. Crossed winding and unmarked joins interrupt payout; scratches and residue can remain visible in the woven product.
Make loom trials and inspection results part of acceptance. Keep heats traceable and agree how failed spools will be isolated and replaced. Use quality inspection guidance to define the checks before shipment, then repeat the relevant checks on arrival.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on stainless steel weaving wire from China?
The supplied tariff data, read on 1 October 2026, shows 0% across heading 7223, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty or steel measure. Import VAT is normally 20%.
Should I buy 304 or 316 weaving wire?
Choose the grade for the finished mesh's environment and your customer's specification. Verify chemistry against the agreed grade; appearance alone cannot distinguish 304 from 316.
Does weaving wire have to be annealed?
Agree the condition with your weaving team. Test a sample on the intended loom and specify tensile strength and elongation alongside diameter; the word 'soft' is not an acceptance specification.
Can I use the weaving-wire code for finished mesh?
Check finished mesh separately. This guide covers wire supplied for weaving. Give your broker the supplied form, alloy chemistry and product description before selecting a commodity code.