## Common ground
All options refer to movable shelved furniture, such as bookshelves or storage units, categorized by their primary material.
## Options at a glance
**9403.20 – Base metal**
- **Defining trait:** Constructed primarily from iron, steel, or other base metals.
- **Typical examples:** Metal bookshelves with welded frames, industrial-style storage racks.
- **Best fit when:** The furniture is strong, durable, and has visible metal components (e.g., steel beams).
**9403.50 – Wood**
- **Defining trait:** Made mainly from solid or processed wood (e.g., plywood, MDF).
- **Typical examples:** Wooden bookshelves, pine storage units, hardwood cabinets.
- **Best fit when:** The material is natural or manufactured wood with a wooden appearance.
**9403.70 – Plastic material**
- **Defining trait:** Primarily made from synthetic plastic (e.g., polypropylene, ABS).
- **Typical examples:** Lightweight plastic shelves, modular storage bins, children’s toy shelves.
- **Best fit when:** The furniture is molded, lightweight, and non-wooden, often colorful or transparent.
**9403.82 – Bamboo**
- **Defining trait:** Made from bamboo, a fast-growing grass used as a structural material.
- **Typical examples:** Bamboo bookshelves, eco-friendly storage units with woven bamboo panels.
- **Best fit when:** The material is visibly bamboo (e.g., split, woven, or solid bamboo rods).
**9403.83 – Rattan**
- **Defining trait:** Crafted from rattan, a tropical vine used in wicker-style furniture.
- **Typical examples:** Woven rattan shelves, beach-style storage units.
- **Best fit when:** The furniture has a woven or plaited appearance with flexible, twisted strands.
**9403.89 – Other materials**
- **Defining trait:** Made from non-metal, non-wood, non-plastic, non-bamboo, non-rattan materials like cane, osier (willow), or similar natural fibers.
- **Typical examples:** Cane-backed shelves, willow baskets used as shelving, reed panels.
- **Best fit when:** The material is a natural fiber not covered by other codes (e.g., woven cane or reeds).
## Key differences
| Feature | Base metal | Wood | Plastic | Bamboo | Rattan | Other materials |
|-----------------|------------|------|---------|--------|--------|------------------|
| Material type | Metal | Wood | Plastic | Grass | Vine | Fiber (e.g., cane) |
| Appearance | Industrial | Natural | Synthetic | Natural | Woven | Woven/structured |
## How to choose
- Is the main material metal (e.g., steel, iron)? → 9403.20
- Is it made of wood (solid or processed)? → 9403.50
- Is it plastic and molded/lightweight? → 9403.70
- Is it visibly bamboo (e.g., split, solid stalks)? → 9403.82
- Does it have a woven, twisted vine look? → 9403.83
- Is it made of cane, osier, or similar natural fiber? → 9403.89
## Overlaps & pitfalls
- Bamboo and rattan may be confused; bamboo is rigid and stalk-like, rattan is flexible and woven.
- Cane and osier fall under “other materials” (9403.89), not rattan or bamboo.
- If a product uses multiple materials (e.g., wood frame with plastic shelves), use the **dominant material** by volume or visibility.
- No priority rule is given—choose based on the **main structural material**