U.S. imports of Miscellaneous Paper & Paperboard Packing Containers (incl. Record Sleeves) (HS 481950) totaled $33.9M in August 2026, imported from 65 countries.
Importers of Miscellaneous Paper & Paperboard Packing Containers (incl. Record Sleeves) paid $6.3M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 18.59% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Miscellaneous Paper & Paperboard Packing Containers (incl. Record Sleeves) imports of $33.9M in August 2026 ran 35% above the year-to-date monthly average of $25.2M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataHeading 481950 captures a wide range of paper and paperboard packing containers not covered by the more specific carton and bag headings, including fiber drums, rigid boxes, record sleeves, and sanitary food and beverage containers. The US schedule breaks this out into five 10-digit lines — sanitary food/beverage containers (4819502000), record sleeves (4819503000), fiber drums and tubes (4819504020), rigid boxes and cartons (4819504040), and a catch-all NESOI line (4819504060) — making precise product-level classification essential. China and Vietnam lead supply under this heading, with Taiwan and Cambodia also among the top sources; Section 301 tariff exposure is a live concern for China-origin shipments across most of these lines.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
2.7K import shipments a month
Rigid boxes and cartons of paper or paperboard that are pre-formed and not designed to fold flat classify under 4819504040 within heading 481950. This distinguishes them from folding cartons (481920), which collapse flat for shipping. The key test is whether the box retains its shape without assembly — if it does, 481950 is the correct heading.
Sanitary food and beverage containers must comply with FDA regulations governing food-contact materials, including any applicable indirect food additive regulations for paper and paperboard. Importers should obtain food-contact compliance documentation from the manufacturer confirming that inks, coatings, and adhesives meet FDA requirements. Classification under 4819502000 addresses tariff treatment but does not substitute for FDA food-contact compliance review.
Subheading 4 of 6 in heading 4819
Subheading 481950 · $33.9M of $315.3M
ImportsExports
Imports
$33.9MYoY · free account
Exports
$15.7MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $308.8M of Miscellaneous Paper & Paperboard Packing Containers (incl. Record Sleeves) and exported $178.4M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4819504040 | Rigid Boxes & Cartons of Paper/Paperboard, NESOI | $16.9M | 21.48% | 88.88% | $3.6M |
| 4819504060 | Packing Containers NESOI of Paper, Pprbrd, Etc | $11.1M | 17.82% | 83.69% | $2.0M |
| 4819502000 | Sanitary Food & Bev Cntrs of Paper, P/Brd Etc Neso | $3.2M | 12.91% | 55.43% | $415K |
| 4819503000 | Record Sleeves of Paper or Paperboard | $1.5M | 3.10% | 11.13% | $47K |
| 4819504020 | Fiber Drums/Cans/Tubes & Simlr Cntrs of Paper Etc | $1.1M | 20.25% | 59.54% | $231K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Trade Directory
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Imports · August 2026
origin
China and Vietnam together supply 58% of it. China pays 37.1% duty; Mexico 1.1%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
20.5% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 18.59% of imports for consumption.