Sourcing wooden jigsaw puzzle frames from China

Duty depends on the wood

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 4414 covers wooden frames for paintings, photographs, mirrors or similar objects. This guide concerns frames for displaying completed jigsaw puzzles. Specify the frame separately from any puzzle supplied with it, and confirm classification against the actual goods. See the wooden picture frames guide for the wider heading.

Goods from China carry 2% duty under 4414 10 10 00 for the specified tropical woods, and 0% under 4414 10 90 00 or 4414 90 00 00. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions. It attaches CITES import control to every line. For controlled listed timber, obtain the applicable CITES permit or paperwork; ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for the species and shipment from China.

The tariff also lists CITES export control and a cultural-goods export licence entry. Ask your broker to distinguish these export entries from the import requirements for your order. Confirm the species and construction before choosing the commodity code. The pine and oak examples share a code because the supplied tariff does not separate them.

Specify the completed puzzle fit

Specify the finished puzzle's actual width, height and thickness, rather than its piece count. Agree the backing recess, visible opening and clearance around the puzzle. Send a completed puzzle or an accurate template for the approval sample. State whether the puzzle will be glued to a board or retained without glue, and whether the backing can be removed without disturbing the pieces.

Agree timber species, moulding profile, corner construction, finish, backing material, glazing and hanging orientation. Importers first placing wooden frames on the Great Britain market should confirm with the relevant timber authority what species and harvest-origin information, illegality-risk assessment and mitigation are required. Consumer frames must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Check splinters, glazing edges and hanging fittings, and review paints and lacquers against UK REACH.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4,000 pine wooden jigsaw puzzle frames under 4414 90 00 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,400, so it is £1,880. 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

Puzzle fit: assemble the approved puzzle in production samples, check that edges remain visible, and close the backing without bending the puzzle or forcing the retaining clips.

Timber and corners: compare species documents with the order, measure moisture, inspect mitred joints for gaps, and check for splinters, finish chips and loose corner connections.

Glazing and backing: check cracks, scratches, trapped dust and backing flatness; confirm that clips retain the complete puzzle and glazing securely.

Hanging and packing: test fittings with the assembled frame, check the intended hanging orientation, and inspect corner protection after a carton drop test. Use a quality inspection before dispatch and repeat arrival checks.

What goes wrong

A frame sold by puzzle piece count can still be the wrong size. The moulding may cover the outer puzzle pieces, while a shallow recess makes the backing bow or prevents clips from closing. Approve the actual puzzle fit and record the opening and recess dimensions in the order.

Loose backing lets pieces move when the frame is lifted. Damp timber can shrink and open corner joints, while inadequate protection leaves glazing cracked or scratched. Compare arrival samples with the approved assembly, check hanging fittings under the assembled weight, and resolve missing timber-origin documents before sale.

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.