Find HS Code and trade information for gravel beads

Gravel Beads

Gravel beads, also known as seed beads or bugle beads depending on their specific shape, are small, decorative beads commonly used in jewelry making, crafts, and embellishments. They are typically cylindrical in shape, though variations exist.

Material

Historically, gravel beads were made from glass, but modern production utilizes a wider range of materials:

• Glass: The most common material, offering a wide spectrum of colors, finishes (matte, iridescent, metallic), and transparency levels.
• Crystal: Higher quality glass beads containing lead oxide, resulting in increased brilliance and refractive index. Often manufactured by brands like Swarovski.
• Plastic/Acrylic: A lightweight and affordable alternative to glass, suitable for children's crafts and less demanding applications.
• Stone: Less common, but available in materials like agate, jasper, or other semi-precious stones.
• Metal: Occasionally made from tiny metal tubes or spheres, offering a different aesthetic and weight.

Purpose

The primary purpose of gravel beads is decorative. They are used to:

• Jewelry Making: Creating necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other accessories.
• Embellishment: Adding detail to clothing, bags, shoes, and home décor items.
• Crafts: Used in beadwork, embroidery, weaving, and other artistic projects.
• Traditional Art: Integral to certain cultural art forms, such as Native American beadwork.

Function

Gravel beads function as small building blocks for larger designs. They are typically strung together using thread, wire, or other flexible materials. Their small size allows for intricate patterns and detailed work. The hole through the center facilitates stringing and attachment.

Usage Scenarios

• Bead Looping: Creating simple loops and connecting them to form chains or patterns.
• Stringing: Threading beads onto a string or wire to create necklaces, bracelets, or other linear designs.
• Weaving: Interlocking beads using a loom or free-form weaving techniques.
• Embroidery: Sewing beads onto fabric to create decorative patterns or images.
• Off-Loom Beadwork: Using techniques like peyote stitch, brick stitch, or right-angle weave to create complex designs without a loom.

Common Types

• Seed Beads: Very small, round beads, typically used for detailed beadwork. Sizes are indicated by numbers (e.g., 11/0, 15/0), with smaller numbers indicating smaller beads.
• Bugle Beads: Long, cylindrical beads, often used to create fringe or add texture.
• Delica Beads: A specific brand of precision seed beads known for their consistent size and shape, ideal for intricate patterns.
• Tila Beads: Two-hole beads with a slightly flattened shape, used for creating geometric designs.
• Czech Glass Beads: Beads manufactured in the Czech Republic, known for their high quality and wide range of colors and finishes.
• Japanese Seed Beads (Miyuki): Highly regarded for their uniformity and consistency, particularly popular for bead weaving.

Gravel beads typically refer to small, rounded stones used in jewelry making, landscaping, or decorative applications. Based on the provided reference material, the following HS codes may be relevant:

• 2517100015: This HS code covers pebbles, gravel, broken or crushed stone of a kind commonly used for concrete aggregates, for road metalling, or for railway or other ballast; shingle and flint, whether or not heat-treated; macadam of slag, dross or similar industrial waste, whether or not incorporating the materials cited in the first part of the heading; tarred macadam; granules, chippings and powder, of stones of heading 2515 or 2516, whether or not heat-treated. Specifically, it includes pebbles and gravel. The tax rate details are: Basic tariff: 0.0%, Additional tariff: 25.0%, Additional tariff after 2025.4.2: 30.0%, Total tariff: 55.0%.

• 7116204000: This HS code covers articles of natural or cultured pearls, precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed): Of precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed): Other: Of semiprecious stones (except rock crystal): Other. If the gravel beads are considered semiprecious stones and are used in jewelry, this code may apply. The tax rate details are: Basic tariff: 10.5%, Additional tariff: 7.5%, Additional tariff after 2025.4.2: 30.0%, Total tariff: 48.0%.

• 7116203000: This HS code covers articles of natural or cultured pearls, precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed): Of precious or semiprecious stones (natural, synthetic or reconstructed): Other: Of semiprecious stones (except rock crystal): Graded semiprecious stones strung temporarily for convenience of transport. If the gravel beads are semiprecious stones strung for transport, this code may be applicable. The tax rate details are: Basic tariff: 2.1%, Additional tariff: 7.5%, Additional tariff after 2025.4.2: 30.0%, Total tariff: 39.6%.

Regarding HS code 7116204000 and 7116203000, it is important to determine whether the gravel beads qualify as "semiprecious stones" according to customs regulations. If the beads are simply used as decorative materials and do not meet the definition of semiprecious stones, HS code 2517100015 would be more appropriate.