Importing from China
China makes and exports housewares and kitchenware like nowhere else: dinnerware, cutlery, pans, food containers, glasses, utensils. Buying direct from the source pays off, but kitchenware has one quirk that changes everything: the tariff code and the certifications depend on the material. A set of glass tumblers is not the same as ceramic dinnerware (with possible anti-dumping duties) or plastic food containers. Here is how it ships, how each material is classified at customs, and the one thing you can never skip: food-contact suitability.
Kitchenware is very mixed in weight and fragility: ceramic and glass are heavy and break, plastic is bulky and light. The usual route is sea freight: a full container (FCL) when your order fills or nearly fills one, or groupage (LCL) for smaller quantities, sharing a container with other importers. Kitchenware suits groupage well because it usually comes in stackable, well-palletised cartons.
Air freight only makes sense for samples or urgent new lines. The critical point here is packaging: ceramic and glass travel for weeks by sea and take knocks and vibration, so require dividers, strong cardboard and proper palletising from your supplier. A poorly packed shipment arrives broken, and no one covers it but insurance.
This is the heart of kitchenware: there is no single code, classification depends on the material. As a guide: plastic → HS 3924 (tableware and kitchen articles) or 3926; metal → HS 7323 (household iron/steel articles) and 8215 (cutlery); ceramic and porcelain → HS 6911/6912; glass → HS 7013. The duty on entry into the EU ranges from low to moderate depending on the material (roughly 5 %–12 %), so confirm the exact code with your broker. Import VAT is recoverable if you import as a business with your EORI and the declaration is in your name.
Take special care with ceramic and porcelain tableware: the EU has kept anti-dumping duties on ceramic tableware of Chinese origin, which can push the landed cost up sharply. Confirm whether they are in force and the rate for your code before you buy; it is the biggest cost surprise in kitchenware.
A single "kitchenware" order can carry several codes: plastic (3924/3926), metal (7323/8215), ceramic/porcelain (6911/6912), glass (7013). Classify each line correctly: duty and restrictions change by material.
Anything that touches food (dinnerware, glasses, utensils, containers) must be food-contact safe: in the EU, Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 (plus material-specific rules); in Germany LFGB is often cited, and for the US the FDA. Ask the supplier for the declaration of conformity; without it you cannot sell the product.
The EU has applied anti-dumping duties to ceramic tableware and kitchenware from China. It is a real, significant extra cost: confirm it is in force and the rate for your code before you close the deal.
Ceramic and glass are heavy and fragile: they can tip the cost toward weight and demand reinforced packing. We recommend all-risk insurance (very cheap, ~0.1 % of value) because the carrier's liability is limited.
To bring in kitchenware, the usual choice is sea freight (FCL or groupage). We also handle customs clearance and classifying each material correctly. Unsure about the code or anti-dumping? Tell us and we will advise you.
Note: duties, thresholds, anti-dumping measures and food-contact rules can change and depend on the exact material and destination country. This guide describes the general situation at the time of writing; confirm it with your customs broker before deciding.
Write with whatever you have —we'll ask for anything missing—. Only the email is required.
If you prefer, just email us four basics —what you're moving, how much, from where and to where— and we'll quote you as soon as possible. info [at] easychinashipping.com