What the category is

• Core clusters & lineages
  
  • Kushmandi wooden masks (Gomira/Mukha), West Bengal — ritual masks for the Gomira dance made from light local woods; the craft is GI-registered as “Wooden Mask of Kushmandi.”
    
  • Bastar wooden craft, Chhattisgarh — GI-registered woodcarving tradition used for masks, figures and ritual décor; state and national portals profile the craft and cluster.
    
  • Uttarakhand ‘Mukhota’/Hill Jatra & Ramman masks (Garhwal–Kumaon) — carved wooden masks used in ritual theatre; the Ramman festival is part of the region’s ritual culture (UNESCO-listed ICH festival)
    
  • Majuli masks (Assam) — a major tribal mask tradition recently GI-tagged as “Majuli Mask of Assam” (core materials are bamboo/clay/cloth rather than wood, but often co-retailed with wooden tribal masks).
    
• Why “specific to India/region”
  These mask styles are tied to local ritual/theatre (Gomira in North Bengal; Hill Jatra/Ramman in Uttarakhand; Sattriya Bhaona in Assam; Bastar tribal rites), giving India-origin pieces a distinctive iconography, construction and use-context you don’t find elsewhere.
  

HS codes & export picture

How exporters normally classify tribal wooden masks/craft:

• Decorative wooden wall masks/plaques → HS 4420.10 (Statuettes and other ornaments, of wood).
  
• Wearable carnival/entertainment masks (party/costume use) → HS 9505.90 (Festive, carnival or other entertainment articles – masks are explicitly covered in EN 95.05/A(3))
  Tip: if a mask is sold as wall décor, classify by material (4420.10). If sold as a wearable costume mask, classify under 9505.90 and note intended use on paperwork.

Export scale (best available proxies):

• India’s HS 4420.10 exports (2023): US$4.60m and 743,222 kg. The USA is ≈ US$3.17m (≈69%)—by far the largest buyer; followed by Canada (~US$0.35m), Malaysia, UK, UAE, etc. (UN Comtrade via WITS).
  
  

Materials, construction & quality signals

Typical woods & carving

• Light, fine-grained local species to keep wearable masks comfortable and wall masks crack-resistant: gamhar (Gmelina arborea), neem (Azadirachta indica), mango, kadam (Neolamarckia cadamba), pakur (Ficus) are all documented for Kushmandi masks. Expect clean tool-work and low weight.
  

Seasoning & stability

• Stock should be properly seasoned/air-dried to reduce checking; large crowns/ears need cross-grain reinforcement or lamination on premium pieces (artisanal practice—ask suppliers to document drying time).
  

Priming & paint

• After carving and sanding, makers prime (gesso/putty) and hand-paint with acrylics/enamels; look for even coverage (no pinholes), crisp line-work, and sealed backs on wall pieces. Documented steps across cluster texts and maker documentation.
  

Iconography & finish fidelity

• Kushmandi/Gomira: fierce deities/demons (e.g., Shiknidhal, Narasimha, Mahiravan), bold teeth/tongue, high crowns; colors are saturated reds, greens, blacks.
  
• Uttarakhand Mukhota: stylized faces used in Hill Jatra/Ramman ritual theatre; often matte/semi-gloss finish with simple pigment schemes.
  
• Bastar: tribal/animal/human forms aligned with Bastar Wooden Craft aesthetic; darker stains or natural wood finishes common.
  

What to require from suppliers

• Wood & weight: specify species (e.g., gamhar/neem) and max weight per size (e.g., ≤1.5 kg for 40–45 cm wall mask). Ask for moisture ≤12% at dispatch (meter photo).
  
• Workmanship: clean edges around eyes/nostrils/teeth; no tear-out on hair/crown details; concealed hanging hardware with adequate load rating. (Best practice.)
  
• Coatings: require low-lead coatings (see compliance below) and final clear coat (UV-resistance if for hospitality installs). (Best practice.)
  

Compliance (US/EU retail)

• Lead in surface coatings (US): 16 CFR Part 1303 caps lead in paint/coatings at ≤90 ppm; ask for a current 3rd-party lab report for painted masks.
  
• EU: If an item is marketed as décor (not a toy), ensure finishes meet REACH Annex XVII heavy-metal restrictions for consumer articles; if you sell wearable masks for children or present them as play items, Toy Safety Directive and EN 71-3 (migration of certain elements) apply.
  
• HS declaration clarity: describe intent on invoices: e.g., “Decorative wall ornament of wood (mask), not wearable — HS 4420.10” or “Wearable carnival mask — HS 9505.90”. (EN 95.05 explicitly lists masks).
  

India/region strengths

• Protected origins & live clusters: GI-tagged Wooden Mask of Kushmandi (WB) and Bastar Wooden Craft (CG) enable provenance-led branding and easier vetting of authentic makers.
  
• Distinct aesthetics tied to ritual: Gomira (North Bengal), Hill Jatra/Ramman (Uttarakhand), Bastar rites—the designs aren’t generic “ethnic”; they’re place-coded, which helps storytelling and premium positioning.
  
• Established export channels: Wooden ornaments (HS 4420.10) already flow mainly to the USA and other mature markets—US$3.17m to the USA alone in 2023—so logistics/tariff familiarity is high.
  

Sourcing notes

• Kushmandi (Dakshin Dinajpur, WB) — GI-authorized user lists and state MSME/handicrafts pages identify makers around Mahisbathan; the WB KVIB “Rural Craft Hub” page documents the cluster.
  
• Bastar, Chhattisgarh — GI application lists the Chhattisgarh Hastshilp Vikas Board and cluster details; national/state tourism portals profile the craft.
  
• Uttarakhand — state-backed content (UHHDC/Google Arts & Culture) documents Mukhota mask-making and festival use—useful for authenticity notes and photo assets.
  

Buyer-side RFQ/PO spec

• Product: Tribal Wooden Mask — [style] (e.g., Gomira—Shiknidhal/Narasimha, Hill Jatra/Ramman, Bastar)
  
• Size & weight: ___ × ___ cm; ≤__ kg
  
• Wood: gamhar / neem / mango / kadam (confirm) — seasoned, moisture ≤12%
  
• Finish: hand-painted acrylic/enamel; clear coat; back sealed; hanging hardware fitted
  
• Compliance: Lead in paint ≤90 ppm (16 CFR 1303); for EU child-use SKUs, EN 71-3 pass & REACH Annex XVII (heavy metals)
  
• HS/Docs: 4420.10 (decorative wall ornament of wood; non-wearable) or 9505.90 (wearable) as applicable; Country of origin: India
  
• Provenance (optional): cite GI (Kushmandi/Bastar) and village/artist where relevant