Sourcing unstrung amber beads from China

UK duty on unstrung amber beads

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 9602 covers worked vegetable or mineral carving materials and articles, alongside moulded or carved natural-resin articles and other specified materials. The supplied hand-made and other lines both carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures or suspensions recorded.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches veterinary control to both supplied lines. Its note concerns products of animal origin. An amber-specific requirement has not been verified here: ask your customs broker to confirm how the control is addressed for your shipment before dispatch.

The supplied data contains only the tariff lines shown. Confirm the commodity code using the material, manufacturing process and unstrung presentation. For related worked amber products, see natural amber cabochons.

Specify amber identity, treatment and drilling

Specify natural amber or the exact alternative material offered. Ask the supplier to disclose pressing or reconstruction, heating, dyeing, surface coatings and repairs. Agree shape, dimensions, colour range, transparency, permitted inclusions, polish, hole diameter and hole position. Keep approved samples representing the acceptable variation, rather than relying on a single catalogue photograph.

For consumer products sold in Great Britain, the main safety rule is that they must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Define the intended use before agreeing the inspection brief. Ask an independent laboratory to propose material-identification testing where authenticity is central to the purchase.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,500 unstrung amber beads under 9602 00 00 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £590 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,090. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,090, so it is £618. 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: compare sampled beads with the agreed material declaration and laboratory findings; investigate mixed materials or undisclosed treatments.

Drilling: pass the intended cord through sampled holes and inspect the openings for chips, cracks, blockage and rough edges.

Appearance: compare colour, transparency, inclusions, shape and polish with the approved sample range; inspect around drilled holes under magnification.

Packing: check quantities, batch references and separation of grades; inspect arrival packs for abrasion, loose fragments and crushed beads. Use the inspection guide to prepare the brief.

What goes wrong

Orders can fail when the supplied material differs from the agreed amber description, attractive samples conceal wide colour variation, or drilling leaves cracks and chipped openings. Rough holes can damage cord during assembly. Agree how disputed material identity will be tested, inspect production samples and record accepted variation before approving shipment.

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.