4802.10.00.00 - Handmade paper and paperboard 🖩

This HTS category, 4802.10.00.00, specifically classifies handmade paper and paperboard. This designation is reserved for paper and paperboard produced by traditional, non-industrial methods, often involving skilled craftsmanship rather than automated machinery. The defining characteristic is the artisanal process of formation, which typically results in a unique texture, deckled edges, and a non-uniform thickness, distinguishing it from mechanically produced paper.

While the broader heading 4802 encompasses uncoated papers for writing, printing, and graphic purposes, as well as specialized base papers, this particular sub-heading isolates the handmade varieties. It differentiates itself from sibling categories such as 4802.20 (photo-sensitive or heat-sensitive base papers) and 4802.40.00.00 (wallpaper base) by its manufacturing method and inherent artisanal qualities, rather than its end-use application or fiber composition. The sibling categories also include distinctions based on the percentage of mechanically or chemi-mechanically obtained fibers, criteria not relevant to the definition of handmade paper.

As this node is a leaf node within the HTS database, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Therefore, classification under 4802.10.00.00 relies solely on the determination that the paper or paperboard in question has been produced through a manual, artisanal process. Practical classification considerations would involve examining the physical characteristics of the product, such as the presence of deckled edges, variations in thickness, and the overall qualitative feel indicative of handmade production, to ensure accurate adherence to this specific classification.