String Beads

🎯 String Beads (串珠)

🌐 HS Code Classification & Tariff Guide | 2026 Latest Customs Rules | Proven Clearance Strategies
📌 One Product, Five Classifications — Know Which One Applies to You!

String beads are small decorative or functional items used in crafting, jewelry-making, religious accessories, or children’s toys. Depending on material, form, and intended use, they can fall under very different HS Codes — with tax rates ranging from 10% to 92.8%.

⚠️ Critical Insight:
- Wooden beads → Lower tax (21.4%)
- Metal beads (iron/steel) → Extremely high tax (up to 92.8%)
- Plastic/metal combo (no clear material) → 10% base + risk of audit
- Used as toy parts → Subject to 122条款 (Section 122) + additional tariffs

📦 HS Code Breakdown: What You Need to Know (2026 Updated)

🔍 Key Differentiator:
- Material determines the tax shock.
- Form (tray vs. bead) and function (toy vs. jewelry) matter.
- Use in toys triggers 122条款 (Section 122) and additional tariffs.

💰 2026 Tariff Breakdown: The Full Tax Formula (US Focus)

✅ Applicable Country: United States (US)
✅ Origin: China (CN)
✅ Effective Date: November 10, 2025 (or later)
✅ All tariffs apply to imports from China unless exempt

🎯 1. 9503.00.00.71 — String Bead Tray (Toy Accessory)

📌 Explanation:
- This code applies to non-metal trays used in toy sets.
- No metal, no steel — avoids the 50% steel/aluminum surcharge.
- 10% is the only tax — one of the lowest in the list.

🎯 2. 9503.00.00.73 — String Bead Tray (Toy Component)

📌 Note:
- Same as above — plastic or metal but no conflict in material.
- Still treated as toy part → 10% tariff only.
- Do not confuse with metal trays — that’s a different world of taxes.

🎯 3. 7326.90.35.00 — Metal (Iron/Steel) Bead Tray (Portable Container)

📌 Why So High?
- Iron/steel → triggers 50% surcharge under the Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Products Tariff.
- Section 301 (USITC): 25% on Chinese imports.
- Section 122: 10% on certain goods under the “China Tariff Act”.
- Total: 92.8% — one of the highest in the U.S. tariff schedule.

💡 Red Flag: If your tray is metal, portable, and used as a container, this is your code — and your tax bill will be brutal.

🎯 4. 7326.90.86.88 — Metal (Iron/Steel) Bead Tray (Component/Part)

📌 Key Difference:
- This is for non-container parts — like clips, holders, or connectors in a bead kit.
- Still iron/steel, so 50% surcharge applies.
- 87.9% is still extremely high, but slightly lower than 92.8% due to lower base rate.

⚠️ Risk: If the item is used as a tray, it must not be classified as a part — or you risk misclassification penalties.

🎯 5. 7117.90.30.00 — Wooden String Beads (Wearable/Religious)

📌 Why Lower?
- Wooden beads are not metal, so no 50% steel surcharge.
- Still subject to Section 301 (7.5%) and Section 122 (10%).
- 21.4% is manageable — but still high for a simple bead.

✅ Best for:
- Religious necklaces
- Spiritual bracelets
- Handmade jewelry kits
- Not for toy use — that would trigger 122 + 301 + 10% = 10% (but only if non-metal)

🛠️ Pro Clearance Tips: Avoid the 92.8% Trap!

✅ 1. Document Everything — Before Shipment

✅ 2.申报技巧（申报口诀）

🔥 “Material first, form second, use last — or you’ll pay 92.8%!”

✅ 3. Special Cases & Workarounds

🌍 Global Customs Comparison (2026)

📌 Insight:
- Only the U.S. applies 301, 122, and steel surcharges.
- All other markets are much friendlier — but U.S. is the biggest risk.

📌 Common Mistakes & Costly Errors

❌ Mistake 1: Calling a metal tray a "toy accessory" → 92.8% tax
👉 Result: $10,000+ extra tax per container

❌ Mistake 2: Not declaring wooden beads as religious → taxed as toy → 10% vs 21.4%
👉 Result: Underpaid — audit risk

❌ Mistake 3: Mixing beads and trays in one shipment → all taxed at highest rate
👉 Result: 92.8% on everything

✅ Fix:

• Separate shipments by material
• Use clear invoices
• Declare use case — toy vs. jewelry vs. container

🎯 Final Verdict: Know Your Code, Save Your Profit!

🔹 If it’s wooden → 7117.90.30.00 → 21.4%
🔹 If it’s plastic → 9503.00.00.71/73 → 10%
🔹 If it’s metal → 7326.90.35.00 → 92.8% — avoid if possible!
🔹 If it’s a part → 7326.90.86.88 → 87.9% — still high, but better than 92.8%

📣 Act Now: Avoid the 92.8% Trap!

📞 Contact a U.S. Customs Broker + Submit product photos + material cert
🚀 Apply for Advance Ruling (Pre-Approval) — lock in your HS Code before shipment
💡 Use a material declaration form — prove it’s wood or plastic

✨ Your beads are small — but the tax bill can be huge.
💼 Smart classification = Lower cost, faster clearance, zero penalties.

🎯 Pro Tip:
If your product is wooden or plastic, don’t let it get misclassified as metal — one wrong word can cost you $10,000.

📌 Remember:

🔹 Material = Tax
🔹 Form = Use
🔹 Use = Rate
🔹 One mistake = 92.8% tax bill

✅ Your next shipment starts with the right HS Code.
🚀 Start smart. Ship safe. Profit more.