Sourcing collapsible wooden crates from China

Duty and classification for collapsible crates

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 4415 covers wooden packing cases, crates, cable drums, pallets and pallet collars. All listed lines carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded. The table separates crate designs that can share a code from pallet collars and box pallets.

The snapshot attaches CITES import and export controls to the cases and crates line. For a crate containing CITES-controlled timber, obtain the applicable Great Britain permit and corresponding documentation from the Chinese management authority. Confirm the species-specific requirement with your customs broker. The snapshot also lists cultural-goods export licence controls; ask your broker about these if planning onward export.

Give your broker the assembled drawing, materials and description of the base. Confirm whether the product is a packing crate, pallet collar or box pallet using finding your commodity code. For the other products within this heading, see wooden pallets and crates.

Specify the panels, base and folding mechanism

Specify clear internal dimensions, assembled and collapsed dimensions, panel material and thickness, timber species, base construction and fork access. Describe the cargo, its weight distribution, lifting method and intended stacking arrangement. Agree a sample assembly and load demonstration using the proposed contents or a representative load.

Define whether the sides fold on hinges or detach, how the lid locks, which tools assembly needs and how loose fittings are retained. Specify hinge attachment, latch engagement, corrosion protection and replaceable parts. Try repeated assembly and collapse before approving the sample.

For crates imported as products for the Great Britain market, confirm timber-legality due diligence requirements with the relevant authority. Gather species, harvest origin and supporting legality documents before shipment. Solid-wood packaging supplied to businesses must meet ISPM 15 requirements, including treatment and marking. Processed, non-solid packaging such as plywood is outside those packaging rules; inspect any solid-wood base or battens separately.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 collapsible wooden shipping crates under 4415 10 10 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,500, so it is £1,300. 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 and folding: assemble crates from different packs, check panel interchangeability, square corners, lid fit, latch engagement and smooth collapse. Compare the packed footprint with the approved drawing.

Base and loading: check fork openings, runners, fasteners and panel support. Demonstrate lifting and stacking under the agreed load arrangement; watch for racking, loose joints and base deflection.

Timber and panels: measure thickness and moisture against the agreed specification. Look for splits around hinge screws, mould, splinters, warped panels and plywood delamination.

Marks and records: check applicable treatment marks remain legible after assembly and match the supplied treatment records. A certificate cannot replace the ISPM 15 mark. Match timber descriptions to the due diligence file.

What goes wrong

A crate can fold neatly when empty yet rack when lifted with an uneven load. Hinges pull out of thin battens, latches spring open, fork openings become obstructed and detached panels from different packs fail to fit. Test the complete crate with its intended base and load arrangement.

Damp timber can swell and jam the folding mechanism, then shrink and loosen fittings. Plywood faces can conceal solid-wood runners that still need checking for treatment compliance. Record these checks in your inspection brief, and agree how faulty panels and missing hardware will be replaced.

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.