The TL;DR Guide to NAICS Codes for Handmade Crafts: Everything You Need to Know

Hey babe! Need to figure out which NAICS code is right for your handmade crafts? We’ve got you.🤗

This post details the top business codes for handmade crafts, arts, jewellery, wood, and all things indie, handcrafted, or custom made. Plus basic info you need to know about using them.

So if you’re a craft vendor, selling handmade goods online, or doing any other kind of arts and crafts business, this NAICS guide is for you.

But first: let’s cut to the chase with a quick list of popular NAICS codes for handmade crafts.

See yours? We get more comprehensive below so keep reading. We also detail how to know which one fits your primary business activity.

Before we go further, it’s important for you to know that using the right business code is super important.

NAICS codes are for registration, business classification, and legal compliance and are further used in things like taxes, permits, licensing, procurement, financing, insurance, etc. So you need to get yours right. Or change to the correct one if you picked the wrong one.

Want to be a craft fair vendor? You might need to submit permits which ask for your NAICS code. This even applies to home craft businesses like carpenters, ceramics makers, and textile artists, and so on.

What Are NAICS Codes, and Why Do They Matter

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes are six-digit numbers used to classify businesses by their primary business activities.

They are essential for:

• Business Registration: Classifying your business when registering locally or federally.
• Tax Purposes: Accurate filing, reporting, and general compliance. Can come into play for potential tax advantages.
• Grants and Loans: Accessing small business funding opportunities – from government or private grants and financing. (Filling out forms and qualifying for opportunities.)
• Permits & Licensing: Accurate form-filling and compliance. Boring, but important.
• Procurement: Business codes are used to find vendors and suppliers. So if you want your arts, crafts, or goods to be found by the right people, make sure to use the proper business code.

As you can see, using the correct NAICS code sets your arts, crafts, or handmade goods business up for success. It puts you in the right industry category, aligns you with business norms, and keeps your paperwork tidy.

Now let’s get into more business codes. After that, we’ll get into picking the right NAICS code for you.

NAICS Codes for Paper Businesses: Cards, Journals, Stationery, Etc.

• 322230 – Stationery Product Manufacturing:
  For manufacturing paper stationery products, used for writing, filing, etc. For example, designed office supplies, envelope and paper sets, exercise books, loose leaf paper.
• 323111 (🦅) – Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books):
  For lithographic, gravure, flexographic, letterpress, engraving, and various digital printing technologies. Includes commercial printing on purchased stock materials, such as stationery, invitations, labels, and similar items, on a job-order basis.
• 323113 – Commercial Screen Printing:
  For screen printing without publishing (except books, fabric grey goods, and manifold business forms). Includes screen printing on purchased stock materials, such as stationery, invitations, labels, and similar items, on a job-order basis. Includes printing on apparel and textile products, such as T-shirts, caps, jackets, towels, and napkins.

NAICS Codes for Glass Arts

• 32721 Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing:
  When making glass from sand and cullet.
• 327215 – Glass Product Manufacturing Made of Purchased Glass:
  For coating, laminating, remelting, tempering, pressing, blowing, and shaping purchased glass.

NAICS Codes for Potters, Ceramic Art, and Fine China Makers

• 327110 – Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing:
  When shaping, moulding, glazing, and firing pottery, ceramics, plumbing fixtures, and electrical supplies made entirely or partly of clay or other ceramic materials. Includes firing and decorating white china for trade.
• 327120 – Clay Building Material and Refractories Manufacturing:
  When shaping, moulding, baking, burning, or hardening clay refractories, nonclay refractories, ceramic tile, structural clay tile, brick, and other structural clay building materials. Products may be made of clay or other materials with similar properties.

NAICS Codes for Sewing, Fabric, Yarn, and Textile Art

• 315000 Series – Apparel and Accessories Manufacturing:
  When making handmade clothing. Includes cut and sew (i.e., purchasing fabric and cutting and sewing to make a garment) and manufacturing garments in business that first knits fabric and then cuts and sews the fabric into a garment.
• 313110 – Fiber, Yarn, and Thread Mills:
  When spinning yarn from fibres; texturing, throwing or twisting man-made fibre filaments or purchased yarns; or manufacturing thread for sewing, crocheting, embroidery, tatting and similar uses. Includes: spinning yarn; manufacturing thread of any fiber; texturizing, throwing, twisting, and winding purchased yarn or manmade fibers and filaments; and producing hemp yarn and further processing into rope or bags.
• 3132 – Textile Mills:
  When manufacturing yarn or textile fabrics, or finishing yarn, textile fabrics or clothing. Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing both fabrics and textile products, except knitted clothing, are included.
• 313220 – Narrow Fabric Mills and Schiffli Machine Embroidery:
  When weaving or braiding narrow fabrics; or manufacturing embroideries with schiffli machines.
• 3133 – Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating:
  When preparing and finishing yarn and thread, textile fabrics, textile products (except carpets and rugs), and clothing; and manufacturing coated or laminated fabrics. Applies when converting fabrics and textiles by buying fabric goods in the grey, having them finished on contract, and selling them at wholesale; or coating, laminating, varnishing, waxing, and rubberizing textiles and apparel.
• 541490 – Other Specialized Design Services (for Fashion, Costume, Textile, or Shoe Designers):
  For professional design services, including fashion, costume, textile, and shoe design.

NAICS Codes for Jewellery Making

• 339910 – Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing:
  For making jewellery, medals, minting coins, and lapidary work. Activities include manufacturing, engraving, chasing or etching jewellery, novelties or precious metal flatware; stamping coins; cutting, slabbing, tumbling, carving, engraving, polishing or faceting precious or semiprecious stones; recutting, repolish.
• 541490 – Other Specialized Design Services (for Jewellery or Lighting Designing):
  For professional design services, such as jewellery or light fixture design.
• 423940 – Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers:
  For wholesale jewellery sales to boutiques or trade shows. Includes antique jewellery sales.
• 811490 – Other Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance:
  For jewellery or watch repairing and servicing.
• 458110 – Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers:
  When retailing costume jewellery.
• 458310 – Jewellery Retailers:
  For retailing new jewellery (except costume); new sterling and plated silverware; and new watches and clocks. Includes retailing these new products in combination with lapidary work and/or repair services.

NAICS Codes for Wood Crafts

• 3219 – Other wood product manufacturing:
  When manufacturing misc. wood products, such as millwork, containers, shoe trees, toothpicks, wood kitchenware, etc.
• 3371 – Household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing:
  For manufacturing furniture designed for use in households; institutions such as schools, churches, restaurants and other public buildings; and wood kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and counters. On a stock or custom basis.
• 811420 – Reupholstery and Furniture Repair:
  For reupholstering furniture; refinishing furniture; repairing furniture; and repairing and restoring furniture.

NAICS Codes for Visual Artists, Art Restorers, Artisans, Taxidermists, etc.

• 71151 – Independent Artists, Artisans, Writers & Performers:
  For independent (i.e., freelance) individuals primarily engaged in performing in artistic productions, in creating artistic and cultural works or productions, or in providing technical expertise necessary for these productions.
• 541430 – Graphic Design Services:
  When planning, designing, and managing the production of visual communication in order to convey specific messages or concepts, clarify complex information, or project visual identities. These services can include the design of printed materials, packaging, advertising, signage systems, and corporate identification (logos). This industry also includes commercial artists engaged exclusively in generating drawings and illustrations requiring technical accuracy or interpretative skills.

NAICS Codes for Leatherworking

• 316 Series – Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (except apparel and footwear):
  For transforming hides into leather by tanning or curing and fabricating the leather into products for final consumption. Includes manufacture of similar products from other materials, including products (except apparel) made from “leather substitutes,” such as rubber, plastics, or textiles. Includes accessories like purses and belts.
• 315 Series – Apparel Manufacturing:
  For cut and sew (i.e., purchasing fabric and cutting and sewing to make a garment) and the manufacture of garments in establishments that first knit fabric and then cut and sew the fabric into a garment.
• 316210 – Footwear Manufacturing:
  For manufacturing footwear, but not orthopaedic extension footwear.

NAICS Codes for Soap Makers

• 325611 – Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing:
  This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing and packaging bath, facial, and hand soaps, hand sanitizers, and other detergents, such as laundry and dishwashing detergents; toothpaste gels and tooth powders; and natural glycerin.
• 325612 – Polish and Other Sanitation Goods Manufacturing
  When manufacturing and packaging polishes and specialty cleaning preparations. (Perfect for green product entrepreneurs.)
• 325620 – Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (Lotion, Bath Products, Etc.)
  When preparing, blending, compounding, and packaging toilet preparations, such as perfumes, shaving preparations, hair preparations, face creams, lotions (including sunscreens), and other cosmetic preparations.
• 339999 – All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing
  A catch-all category for various handmade crafts, including candles.
• 424990 – Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers
  A general category for handmade crafts sold wholesale. E.g., selling organic handmade soap to a local boutique hotel.

NAICS Codes for Dolls, Figurines, Toys, and Hobby Kits

• 339930 – Doll, Toy and Game Manufacturing
  When making complete dolls, doll parts, doll clothes, action figures, toys, games (including electronic, such as gaming consoles and devices and handheld video games), hobby kits, and children’s vehicles (except metal bicycles and tricycles).
• 423920 – Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers:
  For wholesale distribution of games, toys, fireworks, playing cards, hobby goods and supplies, and/or related goods.
• 459120 – Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers:
  When retailing new toys, games, and hobby and craft supplies (except needlecraft).

NAICS Codes for Candle Making

• 339999 All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing:
  For misc. manufacturing, including candle making and potpourri.
• 424990 Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers:
  For merchant wholesale distribution of nondurable goods, including candles.
• 459999 All Other Miscellaneous Retailers:
  For misc. specialized retail, including selling candles.
• 459420 – Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers:
  When retailing new gifts, novelty merchandise, souvenirs, greeting cards, seasonal and holiday decorations, and curios.

Picking the Right NAICS Code

The NAICS code shows your primary business activity aka your main revenue-generating activity. This isn’t about how much time you spend on different tasks, it’s about what brings in the most income and contributes to the bottom line.

FYI: you can have more than one NAICS code – but you need to have a primary one. The others will just get listed as secondary codes. It’s great to have multiple lines of operation, just determine your most significant one and use that as your primary NAICS code.

Manufacturing vs. Retail: How to Choose the Right Category

Be careful to distinguish between NAICS codes for handmade craft making (aka manufacturing), retailing, and wholesaling. These activities can seem similar to the layperson, but they aren’t when it comes to taxes and compliance.

Tips:

1. Manufacturing Codes: If your main business activity is creating handmade goods, manufacturing codes are a good bet. Btw: these often allow tax deductions for inventory costs, which is a great perk to take advantage of!
2. Retail Codes: Use retail if your main activity is selling products directly to consumers, whether online, at craft fairs, or in a physical store, like a pop-up shop.
3. Wholesale Codes: Go for wholesale when providing batches of products to other business entities.

Where to Lookup NAICS Codes

We just listed some common business codes for handmade arts, crafts, and goods. Since being thorough is always a good idea, you can check things out for yourself at these sites:

• NAICS.com
• Statistics Canada
• Revenue Canada Lookup
• U.S. Census Bureau
• IRS Business Activity Sheet
• IBIS World Industry Classification

FAQs about NAICS Codes for selling Handmade Crafts:

• What if I qualify for multiple codes?
  Choose the code that best represents your primary business activity. If unsure, consult a tax professional.
• Do I need a NAICS code if I only sell on Etsy?
  Yes, especially if you’re registering your business or filing taxes as a sole proprietor or LLC.
• Can I change my NAICS code later?
  Yes, with updated business filings as your activities evolve.
• What happens if I pick the wrong NAICS code?
  While it’s not ideal, you can update your NAICS code with the IRS or your local business registration office. Selecting a broader category can sometimes help if you’re unsure.
• Do I need a NAICS code for hobby income?
  No, if your activities qualify as a hobby, you don’t need a NAICS code. However, if you’re generating significant revenue, you may need to register as a business.
• Can I use more than one NAICS code?
  Yes, businesses with diverse activities can use multiple codes. For example, a jewellery maker who makes her own products and sells them online might use both 339910 (manufacturing) and 458310 (retail).

Let’s conclude

Alright, that about wraps this one up.

To recap, selecting the right NAICS code for your handmade crafts business is critical for accurate classification and potential tax benefits. Understanding the available options and aligning them with your primary business activities, sets your business up for success and growth without pesky legal complications.

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