Sourcing taxidermy glass eyes from China

Duty and the glass-eye tariff line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, taxidermy glass eyes under 7018 90 10 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Heading 7018 covers glass eyes other than prosthetic articles alongside other glass smallwares. The variants in the table share the same commodity line.

The tariff line attaches import and export controls on cat and dog fur. Imports and exports of that fur and products made from it are banned. Specify loose glass eyes without fur or animal mounts, and ask your customs broker to confirm the declaration required for the attached control.

Confirm the commodity code using the material, construction and intended use. For other products within this heading, see glass beads and imitation pearls. Allow separately for import VAT using our duty and VAT guide.

Specify the species, pupil and mounting fit

State the species represented, eye diameter and tolerance, dome profile, iris colour and pattern, pupil shape and orientation, and whether a stem is needed. Define whether the pack contains individual eyes or matched pairs. Approve physical samples against the intended mount rather than relying on catalogue photographs.

Ask the factory to identify the glass, backing paint and stem material. Agree how the painted backing should withstand your mounting adhesive and cleaning method. If supplied for consumer use in Great Britain, the eyes must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Include chipped edges, breakage and exposed stems in your practical safety checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative stock order of assorted taxidermy glass eyes for a specialist supplier under 7018 90 10 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,500, so it is £3,900. 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

Fit: measure diameter and dome profile against the approved sample, and trial the eyes in the intended sockets.

Appearance: compare iris colour, pupil shape and alignment within each pair under consistent lighting; check for bubbles and visible scratches.

Backing and stems: check paint adhesion after contact with the agreed adhesive, and inspect stems for looseness, corrosion and sharp ends.

Packing: check separated compartments, pair matching, size labels and pack counts; inspect arrival packs for chips and cracks. Use our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

An eye can fit the socket but still look wrong because the dome is too high, the iris pattern differs from the approved sample or the pupils do not align. Mixed sizes and mismatched pairs make mounting difficult. Approve samples by species and keep a reference pair for arrival checks.

Backing paint can lift when the mounting adhesive touches it, and loose packing can leave scratched or chipped glass. Agree an adhesive compatibility check and inspect the packing arrangement before dispatch. Keep the order description specific to loose glass eyes, with any animal material identified separately.

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.