Sourcing water-resistant coil zips from China

UK duty on water-resistant coil zips

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 November 2026, heading 9607 covers slide fasteners and their parts. Complete non-metal-chain coil zips fall within 9607 19 00 00. The table includes separate parts and metal-chain zips for comparison; a metal slider alone does not describe the chain construction.

Every listed line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. This guide's product-safety discussion concerns Great Britain.

Confirm the commodity code using the chain material and whether the shipment contains complete zips or separate parts. For other garment and bag fasteners, see the buckles, eyelets and rivets guide.

Specify the coating and sewn application

Specify coil material, chain width, tape width, finished length, closed or separating ends, slider locking action, puller shape and colour. State which face carries the coating, its material and appearance, and the intended garment or bag fabric. Approve a sewn sample with the actual seam construction.

Agree a water-exposure test, flexing and abrasion checks, and washing checks where relevant. Define acceptable leakage and coating damage before production. A coated tape can still leak through the slider, ends or stitching; assess the finished assembly before describing it as waterproof.

Consumer products in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. For metal parts in direct and prolonged skin contact, confirm the applicable REACH nickel-release restriction with HSE. Ask for test evidence covering the actual slider and puller finish, rather than relying on a generic material declaration.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,500 water-resistant coil zips under 9607 19 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,000, so it is £800. 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

Dimensions and fit: compare delivered lengths, tape widths, end fittings and slider orientation with the approved sample; sew samples into the intended fabric.

Coating: inspect for pinholes, peeling, tackiness and uneven coverage; flex and rub the tape, then repeat the agreed water-exposure check.

Operation and strength: open and close sampled zips, check locking action and snagging, and pull-test the chain, stops and puller against agreed acceptance criteria.

Arrival condition: check colour against the approved sample, separate batches and finishes, and look for coating transfer or distortion from packing. Use the quality inspection guide to record defects.

What goes wrong

The sample coating may differ from production, causing stiffness, peeling or colour transfer. An unsuitable slider can scrape the coating or make the zip hard to operate. Poorly matched chain and slider components can separate under load.

Water resistance can fail at the ends or stitching even when the coated tape performs well. Repeat testing on sewn production samples after the agreed conditioning, and retain an approved sample for comparison when the goods arrive.

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.