MCC code5 min readUpdated October 15, 2026

MCC 5949: Sewing, Needlework, Fabric and Piece Goods Stores, Explained

MCC 5949 is Visa's code for fabric, yarn and sewing supply stores. Visa's full list, 5949 vs 5970, 5722 and 8299 classes, risk, and how to change it.

Nick Bonnassies, CMO at Tagada · checked against 7 sources

Article summary

TL;DR

MCC 5949 is the merchant category code for retail stores that sell fabric, patterns, yarn and other sewing and needlework supplies, and may also offer sewing classes. It's a low-risk retail code. Craft supply stores use 5970, sewing machine stores 5722, fabric wholesalers 5131, and businesses that mainly teach sewing 8299.

Visa defines 5949 as retail sellers of fabric, patterns, yarn and other needlework or sewing supplies, which may also offer sewing classes. Fabric, knitting, needlework and yarn shops are on its list.
Craft supply stores use 5970. Mastercard says fabric, sewing and needlework specialists use 5949, and schools that mainly teach sewing or knitting use 8299.
Sewing machine stores aren't 5949: Visa lists them under 5722, Household Appliance Stores. Fabric wholesalers use 5131.
No Visa rule names 5949, it isn't on Visa's high-risk list, and Stripe supports it without restriction.

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On this page

You saw "5949" next to a purchase, in a processor form or in your Stripe account. It's the card code for fabric, yarn and sewing supply stores. Here is Visa's full definition, where 5949 ends (crafts, sewing machines, wholesale, classes), and what it changes for you.

What MCC 5949 means

MCC 5949 is the four-digit merchant category code Visa titles Sewing, Needlework, Fabric and Piece Goods Stores. Its manual defines it in one sentence:1

Merchants classified with this MCC are retail sellers of fabric, patterns, yarn and other needlework/sewing supplies, and may offer sewing classes or instruction.

Visa, Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, p. 78

Visa's "Included in this MCC" column lists, word for word: Fabric Stores; Knitting Shops; Needlework Shops; Supplies – Sewing, Fabric, Notions, Needlework, Piece Goods; Yarn Shops. Its similar merchants are 5970, Artist's Supply and Craft Shops, and 8299, Schools and Educational Services.1

Mastercard titles the same number Fabric, Needlework, Piece Goods, and Sewing Stores, in its Miscellaneous Stores category. Its text names thread, buttons, snaps, lining, trim and lace, scissors and zippers, and adds: "For merchants that primarily provide sewing or knitting instruction, use MCC 8299."3 Stripe lists "Sewing, Needlework, Fabric, and Piece Goods Stores" (sewing_needlework_fabric_and_piece_goods_stores), supported and not restricted.4

Who uses MCC 5949, and who doesn't

The code follows the line of business with the most annual sales, in a store or online.1

Fabric store, quilting or haberdashery shop5949Fabric, patterns and notions are the core of Visa's definition
Online yarn or knitting shop5949Yarn Shops and Knitting Shops are on Visa's list, whatever the channel
Craft store selling paint, beads, clay and some fabric5970Mastercard sends fabric specialists to 5949 and general craft stores to 5970
Sewing machine dealer5722Visa lists Sewing Machine Stores under Household Appliance Stores
Sewing or knitting school8299Teaching is the main activity
Textile distributor selling to businesses5131Visa's wholesale code for piece goods and notions

Which brands? Visa and Mastercard name none. PXP lists Hobbycraft, JOANN, Minerva Crafts and Abakhan among common merchants, and adds sewing machines to the code.6 Visa's wording puts sewing machine stores in 5722. Mail.ru Finance lists Russian needlework chains and warns that one shop can run terminals with different codes.7 Neither is an official source.

Codes it is not: 5949 vs 5970, 5945, 5131 and others

MCC	Visa title	What Visa's definition covers	Use it when
5949	Sewing, Needlework, Fabric and Piece Goods Stores	Retail fabric, patterns, yarn, needlework and sewing supplies, sewing classes	Fabric or yarn leads your sales
5970	Artists' Supply and Craft Shops	Art and craft materials, equipment and supplies used to create other items	Paint, beads and craft kits lead
5945	Hobby, Toy, and Game Shops	Toys and games, with a limited selection of DIY crafts or hobby kits	Finished toys and games lead
5131	Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods	Business-to-business or wholesale distributors of piece goods and notions	You sell to businesses
5714	Drapery, Window Covering, and Upholstery Stores	Draperies, curtains, blinds, window shades, upholstery materials	You sell curtains or upholstery fabric
5719	Miscellaneous Home Furnishing Specialty Stores	Housewares, bedding and linen, lamps, mirrors, pottery	You sell finished linen, not fabric by the yard
5722	Household Appliance Stores	Appliances, sewing machines and vacuum cleaners included	Machines lead your sales
5697	Tailors, Seamstresses, Mending, and Alterations	Custom-made clothing, alterations, mending and repair	You sew for customers
8299	Schools and Educational Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)	Educational courses with no more specific code	Classes are your main business

Source: Visa Merchant Data Standards Manual, April 2026, pages 58, 69, 71, 72, 77, 78, 80 and 105.1

Verdict

Fabric, yarn, patterns, notions: 5949. Paint, beads, craft kits: 5970. Sewing machines: 5722. Selling to businesses: 5131. Classes first: 8299.

Risk, cardholders and merchants

Risk. 5949 isn't on Visa's April 2026 list of high-integrity-risk codes.1 No rule in the Visa Core Rules of April 18, 2026 names it. Its neighbor 5945 is on the lists where acquirers in Hong Kong and Macau must enforce Visa Secure; 5949 isn't. In India, every domestic e-commerce payment needs Visa Secure, whatever the code.2 On Stripe's Przelewy24 list, 5949 doesn't appear, but 8299 is restricted and dropshipping businesses are prohibited.5 A shop that sells mostly classes on 8299 faces an extra review there. Sensitive codes are in our high-risk MCC codes guide.

Cardholders. Your bank shows the code the merchant's acquirer attached. Each issuing bank decides whether 5949 earns bonus points or cashback. Mail.ru Finance reports that some Russian banks put it in a capped "creativity" category, others leave it at the base rate or exclude it.7 Read your card's rewards terms. Your bank can't change a merchant's code; call it before you open a chargeback.

Merchants. Stripe notes that MCCs are used to calculate interchange fees, authorize payments and prevent fraud.4

Find your code. On Stripe, it's set from your declared industry, then your website.4 Elsewhere, check your merchant agreement.
Break down a year of sales. Fabric and yarn, craft supplies, machines, classes.
Match the leader to Visa's wording. Fabric: 5949. Crafts: 5970. Machines: 5722. Classes: 8299.
Ask for a review. Send the current code, the right one, and proof: website, product list, revenue by category.
Check every processor. Each merchant account has its own MCC.

Visa: the MCC describes the line of business with the highest annual sales. Stripe: one MCC per account.

Step-by-step instructions are in how to find your MCC code.

How Tagada helps

One checkout for your fabric or yarn shop

Tagada follows Visa and Mastercard rules and the laws that apply to payments. With Tagada, payments route across TagadaPay and processors such as Stripe, NMI and Airwallex, with one logic, and cascade to another processor when one is down or times out. Checkout adds one-click upsells, order bumps, A/B tests, Apple Pay and Google Pay, which suit a pattern or matching notions offered with the fabric. Tagada works standalone, with Shopify, WooCommerce or headless.

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Updated on October 15, 2026

Nick Bonnassies

CMO at Tagada

CMO at Tagada. Before Tagada, Nick built direct-to-consumer brands that generated over $115M in sales, raised over $25M in crowdfunding and sold two of them. He also works as a fractional CMO on marketing operations and AI systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is MCC 5949?

MCC 5949 is the merchant category code Visa titles Sewing, Needlework, Fabric and Piece Goods Stores. It covers retail sellers of fabric, patterns, yarn and other needlework or sewing supplies, which may also offer sewing classes. Fabric stores, knitting shops, needlework shops and yarn shops are on Visa's list.

What is the difference between MCC 5949 and 5970?

5949 is for stores that specialize in fabric, sewing and needlework supplies. 5970 is for art and craft supply stores selling paint, brushes, clay, beads or craft kits. Mastercard says it directly: merchants that specialize in fabric, sewing and needlework supplies use 5949. The product line with the most annual sales decides.

Do sewing classes use MCC 5949?

A fabric store that also teaches sewing stays on 5949: Visa's definition says these stores may offer sewing classes or instruction. A business whose main activity is teaching sewing or knitting uses 8299, Schools and Educational Services. Mastercard states that rule in its booklet.

Is MCC 5949 high risk?

No. 5949 isn't on Visa's April 2026 list of high-risk codes, no rule in Visa's April 2026 Core Rules names it, and Stripe lists it as supported and not restricted. In India, Visa Secure is still required for all domestic e-commerce, whatever the code.

Sources

Checked October 15, 2026

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