HS Code 3205
Colour Lakes and Preparations
HS code 3205 covers colour lakes produced by fixing organic colouring matter on an inorganic base, commonly used in printing inks and cosmetics.
HS Code 3205 — Colour Lakes and Preparations
Colour lakes are insoluble pigments formed by precipitating a natural or synthetic dye onto an inorganic substrate, such as aluminium hydroxide. They are widely used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries where water-insoluble colour is required.
What's included
- Aluminium lakes
- Calcium lakes
- Barium lakes
- Precipitated organic dyes
What's excluded
- Artist colours in tubes → use
3213(Retail-packed artist paints are classified by usage, not chemical composition.)
Common examples
- FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminium Lake
- Yellow 5 Lake for lipstick
- Blue 1 Lake for pharmaceutical tablet coating
- Cochineal carmine lake
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a dye and a lake?
Dyes are soluble; lakes are insoluble pigments made from those dyes, meaning they won't bleed in oil-based products like lipsticks.
Trade & shipping notes
- Typical duty range: 0% - 5.5%
- Documentation: Certificates of Analysis (CoA) must show lead and heavy metal ppm limits for food/cosmetic grades.
- Typical shipping mode: LCL
- Top exporters: United States, China, India
- Top importers: France, United Kingdom, Japan
Related HS codes
Key takeaway
Critically important for cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers; requires grade-specific certification.
Related HS codes
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