4804.42.00.30 - Base stock for trays, dishes, plates, cups and the like

This HTS classification, 4804.42.00.30, pertains to base stock specifically designed for the manufacturing of various paperboard articles intended for direct contact with food or other contents, such as trays, dishes, plates, and cups. The material is characterized as uncoated kraft paper and paperboard, weighing between 150 and 225 grams per square meter. Crucially, it is bleached uniformly throughout the mass, and its fiber composition consists of over 95 percent by weight of wood fibers derived from a chemical pulping process.

This subcategory is distinguished from its sibling, 4804.42.00.20 ("Folding carton stock"), primarily by its intended end-use. While both are types of uncoated, bleached kraft paper and paperboard within the specified weight range, the "base stock for trays, dishes, plates, cups and the like" is manufactured to meet specific performance and safety standards for direct food contact applications, often implying enhanced properties like grease resistance or wet strength. Folding carton stock, conversely, is designed for the structural integrity required for secondary packaging like folding boxes.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Classification at this level relies on the precise combination of material specifications (uncoated kraft paper, bleached, >95% chemical wood fiber, 150-225 g/m²) and the explicitly stated intended use as base stock for food-contact articles like trays, dishes, plates, and cups. Importers and exporters should ensure their goods precisely match these criteria to avoid misclassification.