Find HS Code and trade information for sealing tape

Sealing Tape

Sealing tape is a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape used to close flaps, bundles, or containers, providing a secure closure and often tamper-evident protection. It is widely employed across various industries for packaging, bundling, and general sealing applications.

Material

Sealing tapes are constructed from a variety of materials, each offering distinct properties:

• Polypropylene (PP): The most common type, known for its affordability, clarity, and good tensile strength. Often used for general-purpose packaging.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): Offers higher strength, flexibility, and resistance to temperature variations than PP. Suitable for heavier-duty applications and cold temperature sealing.
• Acrylic: Provides excellent UV resistance and aging stability, making it ideal for long-term storage or outdoor applications.
• Polyethylene (PE): Offers good conformability and is often used for bundling or applications requiring a softer seal.
• Reinforced: Incorporates fibers (paper, fiberglass, or synthetic materials) within the adhesive layer to increase tensile strength and tear resistance. Used for heavy-duty bundling and securing.

Adhesive Types

The adhesive used significantly impacts the tape's performance:

• Acrylic Adhesive: Offers good adhesion to a wide range of surfaces, excellent UV resistance, and temperature stability.
• Rubber Adhesive: Provides strong immediate tack and adhesion, particularly suitable for irregular surfaces.
• Hot Melt Adhesive: Offers aggressive initial tack and good adhesion to cardboard and other porous surfaces. Commonly used in packaging applications.

Purpose and Function

The primary functions of sealing tape include:

• Closure: Securely closing flaps of cartons, boxes, and packages.
• Bundling: Holding items together, such as documents, wires, or components.
• Tamper Evidence: Providing a visible indication if a package has been opened or compromised.
• Protection: Shielding contents from dust, moisture, and minor damage.
• Identification: Often used in conjunction with printing for branding, labeling, or tracking purposes.

Usage Scenarios

Sealing tape is utilized across numerous industries:

• Packaging: E-commerce, shipping, food packaging, industrial packaging.
• Warehousing & Logistics: Securing pallets, bundling goods for transport.
• Manufacturing: Component assembly, product protection during transit.
• Retail: Gift wrapping, price tagging, bundling promotional items.
• Construction: Sealing ducts, protecting materials.
• Automotive: Component assembly, wire harnessing.

Common Types

• Standard Packaging Tape: Typically polypropylene-based with acrylic adhesive, used for general-purpose box sealing.
• Heavy-Duty Packaging Tape: Thicker and stronger than standard tape, often reinforced for increased durability.
• Waterproof Tape: Constructed from materials resistant to moisture, ideal for sealing packages exposed to wet conditions.
• Fragile Tape: Printed with "Fragile" or similar warnings to indicate delicate contents.
• Masking Tape: A low-tack tape used for temporary protection during painting or other processes. (While often considered separately, it is a type of sealing tape).
• Electrical Tape: Insulating tape used for electrical applications. (Also a type of sealing tape, but with specific properties).
• Gaffer Tape: A strong, cloth-backed tape used in entertainment and film production. (Another specialized sealing tape).
• Reinforced Filament Tape: Utilizes fiberglass or synthetic filaments for exceptional tensile strength and tear resistance.

Sealing tape generally refers to adhesive tapes used for closing or sealing purposes. Based on the provided information, several HS codes may be relevant depending on the material composition of the tape.

Here are the potentially applicable HS codes:

• 3919102055: This code covers self-adhesive plates, sheets, film, foil, tape, strip and other flat shapes, of plastics, whether or not in rolls, specifically those in rolls of a width not exceeding 20 cm. The total tax rate is 60.8%, comprised of a 5.8% base tariff, a 25.0% additional tariff, and a 30.0% additional tariff effective after April 2, 2025. This is applicable if the sealing tape is made of plastic.
• 3919905060: This code also covers self-adhesive plates, sheets, film, foil, tape, strip and other flat shapes, of plastics, whether or not in rolls, but categorized as 'Other'. The total tax rate is 60.8%, with the same tariff structure as 3919102055 (5.8% base, 25.0% additional, and 30.0% additional after April 2, 2025). This is applicable if the sealing tape is made of plastic and doesn't fall under the narrower definition of rolls less than 20cm wide.
• 4821902000: This code covers paper and paperboard labels of all kinds, whether or not printed, specifically self-adhesive types. The total tax rate is 55.0%, consisting of a 0.0% base tariff and a 25.0% additional tariff, increasing to 30.0% after April 2, 2025. This applies if the sealing tape is made of paper and is self-adhesive.
• 4821904000: This code covers paper and paperboard labels of all kinds, whether or not printed, categorized as 'Other'. The total tax rate is 55.0%, with the same tariff structure as 4821902000 (0.0% base, 25.0% additional, and 30.0% additional after April 2, 2025). This applies if the sealing tape is made of paper and is not self-adhesive.
• 8309900090: This code covers stoppers, caps and lids (including crown corks, screw caps and pouring stoppers), capsules for bottles, threaded bungs, bung covers, seals and other packing accessories, and parts thereof, of base metal, categorized as 'Other Other'. The total tax rate is 57.6%, comprised of a 2.6% base tariff, a 25.0% additional tariff, and a 30.0% additional tariff effective after April 2, 2025. This may be applicable if the sealing tape is made of base metal.

It is important to determine the precise material composition of the sealing tape to select the correct HS code. If the tape is plastic-based, either 3919102055 or 3919905060 would be appropriate. If it is paper-based, 4821902000 or 4821904000 would be considered. If it is made of base metal, 8309900090 would be the relevant code.