Chapter 52 covers cotton and cotton textiles, including raw cotton, cotton waste, carded cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton woven fabrics. This chapter is subdivided by cotton content, processing method (bleaching, dyeing, printing, etc.), and fabric structure, and is a foundational chapter for textile classification. Heading 5211 covers cotton woven fabrics containing less than 85% cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing more than 200 g/m². This heading is further subdivided by processing method (bleached, dyed, yarn-dyed, etc.) and applies to heavier blended cotton fabrics. First 2 digits 52: represents Chapter 52, cotton and cotton textiles. Digits 3-4, 11: represents heading 5211, i.e., cotton woven fabrics containing <85% cotton, mixed with man-made fibres, weighing >200 g/m². Digits 5-6, 29: represents subheading 521129, specifically "other bleached cotton woven fabrics," i.e., bleached fabrics other than specific weaves such as plain weave or twill weave. This product contains <85% cotton, is mixed with man-made fibres, weighs >200 g/m², and is a bleached woven fabric, meeting the description of heading 5211 and subheading 521129. The adjacent code 521120 is unbleached, and 521131 is dyed, so it is classified under 521129.
Chapter
Chapter 52 covers cotton and cotton textiles, including raw cotton, cotton waste, carded cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton woven fabrics. This chapter is subdivided by cotton content, processing method (bleaching, dyeing, printing, etc.), and fabric structure, and is a foundational chapter for textile classification.
Heading
Heading 5211 covers cotton woven fabrics containing less than 85% cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing more than 200 g/m². This heading is further subdivided by processing method (bleached, dyed, yarn-dyed, etc.) and applies to heavier blended cotton fabrics.
Digit Breakdown
First 2 digits 52: represents Chapter 52, cotton and cotton textiles. Digits 3-4, 11: represents heading 5211, i.e., cotton woven fabrics containing <85% cotton, mixed with man-made fibres, weighing >200 g/m². Digits 5-6, 29: represents subheading 521129, specifically "other bleached cotton woven fabrics," i.e., bleached fabrics other than specific weaves such as plain weave or twill weave.
Classification Basis
This product contains <85% cotton, is mixed with man-made fibres, weighs >200 g/m², and is a bleached woven fabric, meeting the description of heading 5211 and subheading 521129. The adjacent code 521120 is unbleached, and 521131 is dyed, so it is classified under 521129.
📝 Declaration Elements
Product Name: The standard name of the declared commodity, which should include key information such as material, processing method, and fabric structure, e.g., "bleached cotton-polyester blended woven fabric." Composition Content: Declare the specific content of cotton and man-made fibres by weight percentage, e.g., "cotton 60%, polyester 40%," accurate to the nearest whole number. Weight per Square Meter: Declare the fabric's gram weight in g/m², which must be greater than 200 g, e.g., "220 g/m²." Processing Method: Clearly state "bleached," as distinct from unbleached, dyed, printed, etc., and it must correspond to subheading 521129. Fabric Weave: Describe the fabric structure, such as "plain weave," "twill weave," "satin weave," etc., because 521129 is for "other" weaves. Width: Declare the fabric width in centimetres, e.g., "150 cm," which affects classification but is not decisive. Brand: If there is a brand, declare the brand name; if there is no brand, declare "no brand." Item Number: Declare the manufacturer's or exporter's item number for easy identification. Product Name: bleached cotton-polyester blended woven fabric; Composition Content: cotton 60%, polyester 40%; Weight per Square Meter: 220 g/m²; Processing Method: bleached; Fabric Weave: twill; Width: 150 cm; Brand: no brand; Item Number: ABC123. Ignoring the gram weight unit, mistakenly writing g/m² as g/m or ounces, resulting in classification errors. Confusing bleaching with dyeing; bleaching is a chemical treatment to remove pigments, while dyeing is adding colour. Failing to accurately declare the blending ratio; the cotton content must be less than 85%, otherwise it is classified under other headings in Chapter 52.
Product Name
The standard name of the declared commodity, which should include key information such as material, processing method, and fabric structure, e.g., "bleached cotton-polyester blended woven fabric."
⚠️ Writing only "cotton fabric" or "blended fabric," which is too general and does not reflect bleaching or the blending ratio.
Composition Content
Declare the specific content of cotton and man-made fibres by weight percentage, e.g., "cotton 60%, polyester 40%," accurate to the nearest whole number.
⚠️ Writing only "cotton-polyester blend" without listing proportions, or proportions that do not total 100%.
Weight per Square Meter
Declare the fabric's gram weight in g/m², which must be greater than 200 g, e.g., "220 g/m²."
⚠️ Misreporting as "200 g" or less, or using other units such as ounces.
Processing Method
Clearly state "bleached," as distinct from unbleached, dyed, printed, etc., and it must correspond to subheading 521129.
⚠️ Confusing bleaching with dyeing, or misreporting as "semi-bleached."
Fabric Weave
Describe the fabric structure, such as "plain weave," "twill weave," "satin weave," etc., because 521129 is for "other" weaves.
⚠️ Failing to declare the weave, or incorrectly declaring it as plain weave (which may be classified under 521120).
Width
Declare the fabric width in centimetres, e.g., "150 cm," which affects classification but is not decisive.
⚠️ Omitting the width, or using the wrong unit.
Brand
If there is a brand, declare the brand name; if there is no brand, declare "no brand."
⚠️ Confusing the brand with the manufacturer, or omitting it.
Item Number
Declare the manufacturer's or exporter's item number for easy identification.
⚠️ Confusing the item number with the model number, or omitting it.
Ignoring the gram weight unit, mistakenly writing g/m² as g/m or ounces, resulting in classification errors.
Confusing bleaching with dyeing; bleaching is a chemical treatment to remove pigments, while dyeing is adding colour.
Failing to accurately declare the blending ratio; the cotton content must be less than 85%, otherwise it is classified under other headings in Chapter 52.
🎯 Classification Logic
Core basis for classification: 1) cotton content less than 85%; 2) mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres; 3) weighing more than 200 g/m²; 4) bleached woven fabric; 5) conforming to subheading 521129 for "other" weaves. All these conditions must be met simultaneously to be classified under this code. 521120 Unbleached cotton woven fabrics: The processing method is unbleached, whereas 521129 is bleached; bleaching requires chemical treatment. 521131 Dyed cotton woven fabrics: The processing method is dyed, and the colour is not white, whereas 521129 is bleached and appears white. 521141 Yarn-dyed cotton woven fabrics: Yarn-dyed fabrics are woven from dyed yarn, whereas 521129 is fabric after bleaching, with undyed yarn. 521112 Bleached plain weave cotton woven fabrics: The fabric weave is plain weave, whereas 521129 is for other weaves, such as twill or satin. 521119 Bleached other cotton woven fabrics: May include different blending ratios or gram weights; the specific subheading description must be checked. Is the cotton content less than 85%? Is it mixed mainly with man-made fibres? Does it weigh more than 200 g/m²? Is the processing method bleaching? Is the fabric weave other than plain weave?
Basis
Core basis for classification: 1) cotton content less than 85%; 2) mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres; 3) weighing more than 200 g/m²; 4) bleached woven fabric; 5) conforming to subheading 521129 for "other" weaves. All these conditions must be met simultaneously to be classified under this code.
Confused Codes：
521120 - Unbleached cotton woven fabrics
The processing method is unbleached, whereas 521129 is bleached; bleaching requires chemical treatment.
521131 - Dyed cotton woven fabrics
The processing method is dyed, and the colour is not white, whereas 521129 is bleached and appears white.
521141 - Yarn-dyed cotton woven fabrics
Yarn-dyed fabrics are woven from dyed yarn, whereas 521129 is fabric after bleaching, with undyed yarn.
The fabric weave is plain weave, whereas 521129 is for other weaves, such as twill or satin.
521119 - Bleached other cotton woven fabrics
May include different blending ratios or gram weights; the specific subheading description must be checked.
Self-Check：
✓ Is the cotton content less than 85%?
✓ Is it mixed mainly with man-made fibres?
✓ Does it weigh more than 200 g/m²?
✓ Is the processing method bleaching?
✓ Is the fabric weave other than plain weave?
❓ FAQ
How can I check the import tariff rate for 521129? You can use the General Administration of Customs website, China International Trade Single Window, or third-party tariff query tools. Enter HS code 521129, select the country of origin and trade mode, and you can obtain the MFN rate, general rate, or free trade agreement rate. Note that tariff rates are adjusted with policy changes, so the latest published rates should prevail. How are bleached and unbleached distinguished? Bleached fabrics undergo chemical treatment to remove natural pigments, appearing white or near-white and feeling softer; unbleached fabrics retain the natural colour of cotton fibre, appearing pale yellow or grey. When declaring to customs, the actual processing technique must be truthfully declared to avoid classification errors caused by inaccurate declaration. If the cotton content is exactly 85%, which code should it be classified under? If the cotton content equals 85%, it does not meet the condition of "less than 85%" and should be classified under other headings in Chapter 52, such as 5208 or 5209. When classifying, the blending ratio must be calculated precisely on a weight percentage basis and must not be rounded. What is the main difference between 521129 and 521112? 521112 is bleached plain weave cotton woven fabric, while 521129 is bleached cotton woven fabric of other weaves. If the fabric is plain weave, it should be classified under 521112; if it is twill, satin, etc., it should be classified under 521129. When declaring to customs, the fabric weave must be accurately declared. Does the type of blended man-made fibre affect classification? The type of man-made fibre (such as polyester, nylon, acrylic) does not affect classification under heading 5211, but the specific type must be declared. The heading only requires "mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres," so as long as man-made fibre is the main blending component, it is sufficient; the specific type is listed in the declaration elements. How should the weight per square meter be accurately declared? It should be based on the actual gram weight of the finished fabric, in g/m². It can be determined through laboratory testing or by reference to production standards. If the weight is close to the critical value of 200 g, it is advisable to provide a test report to avoid classification disputes caused by errors. What is the export tax rebate rate for 521129? The export tax rebate rate is periodically adjusted by the State Taxation Administration. It can be obtained by checking the latest export tax rebate rate database or consulting the tax authorities. Typically, the textile rebate rate is around 13%, but the specific rate is subject to the commodity code and rebate policy. If the fabric undergoes both bleaching and dyeing, how should it be classified? If it is first bleached and then dyed, and the final appearance is dyed, it should be classified as a dyed fabric under 521131; if it is only bleached, it is classified under 521129. Classification is based on the final processing state, and a description of the processing technique must be provided when declaring to customs.
Q: How can I check the import tariff rate for 521129?
A: You can use the General Administration of Customs website, China International Trade Single Window, or third-party tariff query tools. Enter HS code 521129, select the country of origin and trade mode, and you can obtain the MFN rate, general rate, or free trade agreement rate. Note that tariff rates are adjusted with policy changes, so the latest published rates should prevail.
Q: How are bleached and unbleached distinguished?
A: Bleached fabrics undergo chemical treatment to remove natural pigments, appearing white or near-white and feeling softer; unbleached fabrics retain the natural colour of cotton fibre, appearing pale yellow or grey. When declaring to customs, the actual processing technique must be truthfully declared to avoid classification errors caused by inaccurate declaration.
Q: If the cotton content is exactly 85%, which code should it be classified under?
A: If the cotton content equals 85%, it does not meet the condition of "less than 85%" and should be classified under other headings in Chapter 52, such as 5208 or 5209. When classifying, the blending ratio must be calculated precisely on a weight percentage basis and must not be rounded.
Q: What is the main difference between 521129 and 521112?
A: 521112 is bleached plain weave cotton woven fabric, while 521129 is bleached cotton woven fabric of other weaves. If the fabric is plain weave, it should be classified under 521112; if it is twill, satin, etc., it should be classified under 521129. When declaring to customs, the fabric weave must be accurately declared.
Q: Does the type of blended man-made fibre affect classification?
A: The type of man-made fibre (such as polyester, nylon, acrylic) does not affect classification under heading 5211, but the specific type must be declared. The heading only requires "mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres," so as long as man-made fibre is the main blending component, it is sufficient; the specific type is listed in the declaration elements.
Q: How should the weight per square meter be accurately declared?
A: It should be based on the actual gram weight of the finished fabric, in g/m². It can be determined through laboratory testing or by reference to production standards. If the weight is close to the critical value of 200 g, it is advisable to provide a test report to avoid classification disputes caused by errors.
Q: What is the export tax rebate rate for 521129?
A: The export tax rebate rate is periodically adjusted by the State Taxation Administration. It can be obtained by checking the latest export tax rebate rate database or consulting the tax authorities. Typically, the textile rebate rate is around 13%, but the specific rate is subject to the commodity code and rebate policy.
Q: If the fabric undergoes both bleaching and dyeing, how should it be classified?
A: If it is first bleached and then dyed, and the final appearance is dyed, it should be classified as a dyed fabric under 521131; if it is only bleached, it is classified under 521129. Classification is based on the final processing state, and a description of the processing technique must be provided when declaring to customs.
⚠️ Disclaimer: HS code classification, declaration elements, tariff rates and regulatory conditions on this page are for reference only and do not constitute legal advice on customs classification. Tariff rates and regulations are subject to change; the latest announcements from the General Administration of Customs and on-site determinations shall prevail. Please consult professional customs brokers or customs authorities before import/export.