Shellac Exporter to the United Kingdom — French Polish, Heritage & Natural Dye Guide

Why the UK buys lac products

The UK has a long French-polishing tradition and one of Europe's largest heritage sectors, so most demand for lac products comes from finishing and conservation rather than bulk industry:

• French polishing and furniture restoration — workshops, polishers and finishing-supply distributors.
• Heritage conservation — historic houses, museums and conservation studios working on period furniture and objects.
• Musical instruments — violin, guitar and early-instrument makers and repairers.
• Natural dyeing and textile crafts — dyers, weavers and textile conservators using natural reds.
• Polishes and specialty food — wax-polish makers, and regulated food and pharma uses that need the right documents.

Which product for which UK use

French polish and furniture finishing	Button lac, orange, blonde and garnet shellac flakes, and dewaxed grades for sealing — see wood polish
Antique restoration and conservation	Button lac, flakes, lac wax and dammar — see heritage restoration
Instrument finishing	Button lac and pale dewaxed grades — see musical instrument finishing
Natural dyeing	Lac dye for silk and wool — see natural textile dyeing
Wax polishes	Crude and refined lac wax — see polishes, candles and leather
Food glazing and tablet coating	E904 food-grade shellac and dewaxed grades, subject to GB rules below

Food use: GB rules are separate from the EU

Shellac is a permitted food additive in the UK, labelled E904. Since 2021, food additive law in Great Britain is set separately from the EU, so EU changes such as Regulation (EU) 2026/189 — which limited E904 to wax-free bleached shellac in the EU — do not apply in Great Britain unless GB adopts them. Northern Ireland follows EU food law under the Windsor Framework. For food or pharma use, check the current GB specification with your regulatory team, and order wax-free bleached shellac with a batch COA either way.

Importing into the UK

• Importer registration: the UK importer needs a GB EORI number.
• Classification: shellac, seedlac and button lac fall under heading 1301 90; lac wax under 1521 90 and lac dye under 3203 00. Confirm the 10-digit UK commodity code and duty rate in the UK Global Tariff with your broker.
• VAT: import VAT is due; many importers use postponed VAT accounting.
• Trade agreement: India and the UK signed a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in July 2025. Once it is in force, preferential duty needs proof of origin under its rules — check its current status and the rate for your code before relying on it.
• Chemicals: for products such as aleuritic acid, check whether UK REACH duties apply to you as the GB importer; we provide the composition data and SDS you need.

Shipping from India to the UK

Sea freight goes in containers from Kolkata or Nhava Sheva to Felixstowe, Southampton or London Gateway, on FOB, CFR or CIF terms. Samples and small urgent lots can go by air courier. Every shipment travels with a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, batch COA and SDS — see shellac export documentation.

What we supply to UK buyers

Our strongest fit for the UK is finishing, conservation and natural dyeing: button lac, shellac flakes and dewaxed grades for polishers, restorers and instrument makers, lac wax for polish makers, and lac dye at ₹8,000 per kg for dyers — each with a batch COA. Shellac flakes and button lac MOQ is 100 kg, dewaxed grades 25 kg, lac wax 50 kg and lac dye 25 kg, with samples of 100–500 g before the first order. For food or pharma enquiries, state the grade and documents you need when you request a quote, and we will confirm what can be supplied and documented before we price it.

Quick answers

Does the EU's 2026 E904 change apply in Great Britain? Not automatically. Since 2021, food additive rules in Great Britain are set separately from the EU, so EU Regulation 2026/189 does not apply there unless GB adopts it. Northern Ireland follows EU food law. Check the current GB specification before ordering food-grade shellac.

What does a UK importer need to import shellac? A GB EORI number, the correct commodity code (shellac and seedlac fall under heading 1301 90), the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin, plus a batch COA and SDS. Import VAT applies; your customs broker confirms the duty rate.

Which shellac do UK French polishers use? Button lac and orange or garnet flakes for warm, traditional finishes, and pale dewaxed grades such as Blonde or Platina for light woods and as a sealer under other finishes.

This page summarises publicly available UK and EU rules and trade practice as of October 2026. Verify the current GB food additive specification, UK Global Tariff rate, trade-agreement status and your own quality agreement before ordering. It is not legal advice.