Sourcing steel safety pins from China

UK duty on steel safety pins

Heading 7319 covers hand-use iron or steel needles and similar articles, together with safety pins and other pins. Steel safety pins fall within 7319 40 00 00. This is the only line in the supplied tariff data relevant to this guide. See the wider sewing needles and pins guide for other products.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, steel safety pins from China carry 2% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Confirm the material, clasp design and intended use before declaring the commodity code. Keep photographs and the agreed specification with your classification notes. See UK import duty and VAT for the calculation method.

Specify the clasp, spring and finish

Specify the steel type, closed length, wire diameter, coil shape, clasp construction, point profile and finish. State whether the order uses stainless steel or plated steel, and describe the coating rather than accepting a colour name alone. Agree size tolerances, opening resistance, pack count and whether sizes are mixed or packed separately.

Approve a sample that opens smoothly, springs back and keeps the point fully inside the closed clasp. Agree checks on representative fabric for snagging, puncture damage and staining. Set corrosion acceptance criteria for the intended storage and use conditions.

For consumer sales in Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 require safe products. Secure packaging should contain sharp ends, and warnings should tell users to keep pins away from young children. Ask Trading Standards to confirm the applicable traceability requirements, including whether the product or packaging should identify the producer's name and address and the product reference or applicable batch.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order, not a quote: 16,000 steel safety pins in retail packs under 7319 40 00 00, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,200. Duty at 2% is £104. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,304, so it is £1,060.80. Import taxes total £1,164.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £104 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Clasp and spring: open and close sampled pins repeatedly; check that the point seats fully, stays covered and does not slip out when handled.

Point and surface: inspect for hooked points, burrs, rough clasp edges and flaking plating; try samples on the agreed fabric.

Dimensions and corrosion: compare closed length and wire diameter with the specification; check for bent shafts, distorted coils, rust and staining.

Packing and identification: count pins, check size separation and secure pack closures, and compare producer details and product or batch identification with the approved artwork.

What goes wrong

A loose clasp can release the point, while poor spring temper leaves the pin bent or makes it snap. Rough points and clasp edges snag fabric. Thin or damaged plating can rust and stain garments, and mixed-size packs can contain short counts or pins that were never properly closed.

Check production samples against the approved sample, including pins taken from finished retail packs. Record defects by batch and agree correction before dispatch. Use the quality inspection guide to plan checks across the shipment.

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.