Sourcing Zip Pull Tabs from China

UK duty on zip pull tabs

Heading 9607 covers slide fasteners and their parts. This guide concerns the pull tab attached to a slider, rather than the slider body. The table includes the parts lines and complete zips for comparison; complete-zip codes should not be used for loose pull tabs.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, both parts lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions, steel measure or attached import controls.

For a pull tab classified as a zip part, distinguish base metal parts from other materials. Give your broker the material breakdown, drawing, attachment details and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For the wider slider assembly, see replacement zip sliders.

Specify the pull tab and its attachment

Specify the material, tab outline, thickness, attachment-hole dimensions, connector type and finish. Supply the actual slider and an approved assembled sample. Agree whether tabs arrive loose, with connecting rings or already fitted. For moulded tabs, define the insert and joint construction; for branded tabs, approve artwork position and legibility.

Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe. For metal garment trims in direct and prolonged skin contact, confirm applicable REACH nickel-release restrictions with the relevant authority; also confirm applicable lead restrictions for parts of articles that children could put in their mouths. Agree relevant chemical checks for the intended use and each finish through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 60,000 stamped metal zip pull tabs under 9607 20 10 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

Fit: assemble sampled tabs on the intended slider; check free movement, clearance and operation of any locking mechanism.

Retention: pull and twist the assembled tab using the agreed test method; check for connector opening, cracking and separation.

Finish: check attachment holes and edges for burrs, compare colour with the approved sample, and inspect rubbing, flaking and moulding marks.

Batch identity: compare materials, artwork and packing with the order; keep sampled tabs and inspection records identifiable by batch. Use the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A tab can look correct but bind against the slider bridge or interfere with its lock. Open connectors can spread under twisting, cast tabs can crack around the attachment hole, and soft moulded tabs can separate from their inserts. Inspect the assembled combination rather than accepting loose-tab appearance alone.

Plating colour can drift between batches, edges can remain sharp after finishing, and coatings can rub off onto fabric. Keep an approved assembled sample and finish sample, agree rejection criteria before production, and repeat the fit and retention checks on arrival.

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.