Chapter 52 covers woven fabrics of cotton and cotton mixed with other textile fibers, including pure cotton fabrics, cotton blended fabrics, and fabrics of cotton mixed with man-made fibers and synthetic fibers. This chapter does not include cotton knitted or crocheted fabrics (Chapter 60) or cotton made-up articles (Chapter 62). The core characteristic is that the raw material is mainly cotton, but other fibers are allowed to be mixed in. For classification, the specific tariff heading is determined based on cotton content, type of blended fiber, fabric weave, weight per square meter, and other indicators. Heading 5211 includes woven fabrics of cotton mixed with man-made fibers, containing less than 85% cotton by weight, and weighing more than 200 g/m². Under this heading, it is further subdivided by fabric weave (plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, etc.) and dyeing process (bleached, yarn-dyed, etc.). It does not include fabrics with cotton content ≥85% (classified under 5209 or 5210) or fabrics with man-made fiber content ≥85% (classified under 5407 or 5514, etc.). The first 2 digits 52 represent Chapter 52, namely woven fabrics of cotton and cotton mixed with other textile fibers. The 3rd-4th digits 11 represent heading 5211, referring to woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% cotton by weight, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers, weighing more than 200 g/m². The 5th-6th digits 42 represent subheading 5211.42, specifically referring to yarn-dyed denim (twill weave), including 3-thread or 4-thread twill, double twill, etc., and meeting the above blending and weight conditions. Under this subheading, it is no longer subdivided by color because yarn-dyed is already specified. This commodity has cotton content <85%, is blended with man-made fibers, weighs >200 g/m², and is yarn-dyed denim, fully conforming to the description of heading 5211. The adjacent code 5210 refers to plain weave fabrics of cotton containing <85% cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers, weighing ≤200 g/m²; 5209 refers to fabrics with cotton content ≥85%. Therefore, classification under 5211.42 is correct.
Chapter
Chapter 52 covers woven fabrics of cotton and cotton mixed with other textile fibers, including pure cotton fabrics, cotton blended fabrics, and fabrics of cotton mixed with man-made fibers and synthetic fibers. This chapter does not include cotton knitted or crocheted fabrics (Chapter 60) or cotton made-up articles (Chapter 62). The core characteristic is that the raw material is mainly cotton, but other fibers are allowed to be mixed in. For classification, the specific tariff heading is determined based on cotton content, type of blended fiber, fabric weave, weight per square meter, and other indicators.
Heading
Heading 5211 includes woven fabrics of cotton mixed with man-made fibers, containing less than 85% cotton by weight, and weighing more than 200 g/m². Under this heading, it is further subdivided by fabric weave (plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, etc.) and dyeing process (bleached, yarn-dyed, etc.). It does not include fabrics with cotton content ≥85% (classified under 5209 or 5210) or fabrics with man-made fiber content ≥85% (classified under 5407 or 5514, etc.).
Digit Breakdown
The first 2 digits 52 represent Chapter 52, namely woven fabrics of cotton and cotton mixed with other textile fibers. The 3rd-4th digits 11 represent heading 5211, referring to woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% cotton by weight, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers, weighing more than 200 g/m². The 5th-6th digits 42 represent subheading 5211.42, specifically referring to yarn-dyed denim (twill weave), including 3-thread or 4-thread twill, double twill, etc., and meeting the above blending and weight conditions. Under this subheading, it is no longer subdivided by color because yarn-dyed is already specified.
Classification Basis
This commodity has cotton content <85%, is blended with man-made fibers, weighs >200 g/m², and is yarn-dyed denim, fully conforming to the description of heading 5211. The adjacent code 5210 refers to plain weave fabrics of cotton containing <85% cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers, weighing ≤200 g/m²; 5209 refers to fabrics with cotton content ≥85%. Therefore, classification under 5211.42 is correct.
📝 Declaration Elements
Product Name: Should describe in detail the fabric weave, blend composition, and processing technique, such as 'yarn-dyed cotton denim, cotton <85%, blended with polyester, weight per square meter >200g'. Composition Content: Must list the specific percentages of cotton and man-made fibers, such as 60% cotton, 40% polyester, and the cotton content must be <85%. Weight per Square Meter: Declare the gram weight, which must be clearly >200g/m², usually provided by test report or contract data. Fabric Weave: Should indicate twill weave, such as '3-thread twill' or '4-thread twill', to distinguish from plain weave. Dyeing and Finishing Process: Must indicate 'yarn-dyed', i.e., yarns are dyed before weaving, to distinguish from piece-dyed or printed. Width: Declare the fabric width in centimeters, used for statistics and document review. Brand or Model: If there is a brand or model, it should be declared; if no brand, fill in 'none'. Product Name: yarn-dyed cotton denim; Composition Content: 65% cotton, 35% polyester; Weight per Square Meter: 250g/m²; Fabric Weave: 3-thread twill; Dyeing and Finishing Process: yarn-dyed; Width: 150cm; Brand: none; Model: none. Inaccurate declaration of cotton content: if exceeding 85%, classify under 5209; only if below 85% classify under 5211. Incorrect gram weight: ≤200g/m² should be classified under 5210; >200g/m² only under 5211. Incorrect dyeing and finishing process: yarn-dyed and piece-dyed are classified differently; only yarn-dyed is classified under 5211.42.
Product Name
Should describe in detail the fabric weave, blend composition, and processing technique, such as 'yarn-dyed cotton denim, cotton <85%, blended with polyester, weight per square meter >200g'.
⚠️ Only writing 'cotton fabric' or 'blended fabric', without specifying twill and yarn-dyed.
Composition Content
Must list the specific percentages of cotton and man-made fibers, such as 60% cotton, 40% polyester, and the cotton content must be <85%.
⚠️ Only writing 'cotton-polyester blend' without listing proportions, or incorrectly reporting cotton content as ≥85%.
Weight per Square Meter
Declare the gram weight, which must be clearly >200g/m², usually provided by test report or contract data.
⚠️ Failing to provide gram weight or incorrectly reporting it as ≤200g.
Fabric Weave
Should indicate twill weave, such as '3-thread twill' or '4-thread twill', to distinguish from plain weave.
⚠️ Not specifying the weave, or incorrectly reporting it as plain weave.
Dyeing and Finishing Process
Must indicate 'yarn-dyed', i.e., yarns are dyed before weaving, to distinguish from piece-dyed or printed.
⚠️ Incorrectly reporting as 'dyed' or 'printed', leading to classification errors.
Width
Declare the fabric width in centimeters, used for statistics and document review.
⚠️ Failing to provide width or incorrect units.
Brand or Model
If there is a brand or model, it should be declared; if no brand, fill in 'none'.
Inaccurate declaration of cotton content: if exceeding 85%, classify under 5209; only if below 85% classify under 5211.
Incorrect gram weight: ≤200g/m² should be classified under 5210; >200g/m² only under 5211.
Incorrect dyeing and finishing process: yarn-dyed and piece-dyed are classified differently; only yarn-dyed is classified under 5211.42.
🎯 Classification Logic
Core basis for classification: 1) Cotton content must be <85%; 2) Mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers; 3) Weight per square meter >200g; 4) Fabric weave is twill; 5) Dyeing and finishing process is yarn-dyed. Only when all the above conditions are met is it classified under 5211.42. If cotton content ≥85%, classify under 5209; if weight ≤200g, classify under 5210; if plain weave, classify under 5211.41 or 5211.31, etc. 5209.42 Yarn-dyed denim with cotton content ≥85%: Cotton content ≥85%, while 5211.42 requires cotton content <85%. 5210.42 Yarn-dyed twill fabric of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, weight per square meter ≤200g: Gram weight ≤200g/m², while 5211.42 requires >200g/m². 5211.41 Yarn-dyed plain weave fabric of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, weight per square meter >200g: Fabric weave is plain weave, while 5211.42 is twill. 5514.42 Yarn-dyed twill fabric of man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, weight per square meter >200g: Man-made fiber content ≥85% or cotton content <50%? Actually 5514 requires man-made fibers <85% and mainly blended with cotton, but cotton content is usually <50%? Note: 5514 is man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, but cotton content may be less than 50%, while 5211 requires cotton content <85% but usually cotton is the main fiber? Actually 5211 requires cotton <85% but cotton content may still be higher than man-made fibers? Strictly speaking, 5211 is cotton blended with man-made fibers, cotton content <85%, but man-made fiber content may be higher than cotton? According to HS notes, 5211 includes fabrics of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, regardless of the relative proportions of cotton and man-made fibers. While 5514 is man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, but man-made fibers are the main fiber? Actually 5514 requires man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, and man-made fibers are the main fiber? For classification, the main fiber must be considered. Usually, if cotton content is higher than man-made fibers, classify under 5211; if man-made fiber content is higher than cotton, classify under 5514. Is cotton content <85%? Is it mixed mainly with man-made fibers? Is weight per square meter >200g? Is the fabric weave twill? Is the dyeing and finishing process yarn-dyed?
Basis
Core basis for classification: 1) Cotton content must be <85%; 2) Mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibers; 3) Weight per square meter >200g; 4) Fabric weave is twill; 5) Dyeing and finishing process is yarn-dyed. Only when all the above conditions are met is it classified under 5211.42. If cotton content ≥85%, classify under 5209; if weight ≤200g, classify under 5210; if plain weave, classify under 5211.41 or 5211.31, etc.
Confused Codes：
5209.42 - Yarn-dyed denim with cotton content ≥85%
Cotton content ≥85%, while 5211.42 requires cotton content <85%.
5210.42 - Yarn-dyed twill fabric of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, weight per square meter ≤200g
Gram weight ≤200g/m², while 5211.42 requires >200g/m².
5211.41 - Yarn-dyed plain weave fabric of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, weight per square meter >200g
Fabric weave is plain weave, while 5211.42 is twill.
5514.42 - Yarn-dyed twill fabric of man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, weight per square meter >200g
Man-made fiber content ≥85% or cotton content <50%? Actually 5514 requires man-made fibers <85% and mainly blended with cotton, but cotton content is usually <50%? Note: 5514 is man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, but cotton content may be less than 50%, while 5211 requires cotton content <85% but usually cotton is the main fiber? Actually 5211 requires cotton <85% but cotton content may still be higher than man-made fibers? Strictly speaking, 5211 is cotton blended with man-made fibers, cotton content <85%, but man-made fiber content may be higher than cotton? According to HS notes, 5211 includes fabrics of cotton <85% blended with man-made fibers, regardless of the relative proportions of cotton and man-made fibers. While 5514 is man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, but man-made fibers are the main fiber? Actually 5514 requires man-made fibers <85% blended with cotton, and man-made fibers are the main fiber? For classification, the main fiber must be considered. Usually, if cotton content is higher than man-made fibers, classify under 5211; if man-made fiber content is higher than cotton, classify under 5514.
Self-Check：
✓ Is cotton content <85%?
✓ Is it mixed mainly with man-made fibers?
✓ Is weight per square meter >200g?
✓ Is the fabric weave twill?
✓ Is the dyeing and finishing process yarn-dyed?
❓ FAQ
How to inquire about the import tax rate for 5211.42? You can check the most-favored-nation rate, general rate, VAT rate, etc., by entering HS code 521142 on the official website of the General Administration of Customs, China International Trade Single Window, or professional tariff inquiry tools. Note that tax rates may be adjusted with policy changes; it is recommended to refer to the latest tariff. What is the difference in classification between yarn-dyed and piece-dyed? Yarn-dyed means yarns are dyed before weaving, and when classifying, it goes under the yarn-dyed subheading; piece-dyed means the fabric is dyed after weaving, and it goes under the dyed subheading. The HS codes are different, e.g., 5211.42 is yarn-dyed, 5211.32 is dyed. If cotton content is exactly 85%, which code should it be classified under? Cotton content ≥85% should be classified under 5209, e.g., yarn-dyed denim under 5209.42; only cotton content <85% is classified under 5211. Therefore, 85% is the critical point and must be accurately tested. How is weight per square meter calculated? Weight per square meter = gram weight (g/m²), which can be converted by sampling and weighing, or refer to test reports. Note the unit is grams per square meter, not ounces per square yard. How does the blend ratio affect classification? The blend ratio affects the determination of the main fiber. If cotton content is higher than man-made fibers, classify under 5211; if man-made fiber content is higher than cotton, it may be classified under 5514. At the same time, cotton content <85% is a prerequisite for 5211. What are the consequences of incomplete declaration elements at customs? It may lead to failure of customs document review, delay in customs clearance, or even penalties due to classification errors. It is recommended to fill in complete elements such as product name, composition, gram weight, weave, process, etc. What is the main difference between 5211.42 and 5211.41? 5211.42 is twill weave, 5211.41 is plain weave. Other conditions are the same (cotton <85%, blended with man-made fibers, yarn-dyed, gram weight >200g). If the fabric undergoes special finishing (e.g., waterproofing), does it affect classification? Generally not, unless the finishing imparts characteristics of other chapters (e.g., plastic coating classified under Chapter 59). Ordinary waterproof finishing is still classified under Chapter 52.
Q: How to inquire about the import tax rate for 5211.42?
A: You can check the most-favored-nation rate, general rate, VAT rate, etc., by entering HS code 521142 on the official website of the General Administration of Customs, China International Trade Single Window, or professional tariff inquiry tools. Note that tax rates may be adjusted with policy changes; it is recommended to refer to the latest tariff.
Q: What is the difference in classification between yarn-dyed and piece-dyed?
A: Yarn-dyed means yarns are dyed before weaving, and when classifying, it goes under the yarn-dyed subheading; piece-dyed means the fabric is dyed after weaving, and it goes under the dyed subheading. The HS codes are different, e.g., 5211.42 is yarn-dyed, 5211.32 is dyed.
Q: If cotton content is exactly 85%, which code should it be classified under?
A: Cotton content ≥85% should be classified under 5209, e.g., yarn-dyed denim under 5209.42; only cotton content <85% is classified under 5211. Therefore, 85% is the critical point and must be accurately tested.
Q: How is weight per square meter calculated?
A: Weight per square meter = gram weight (g/m²), which can be converted by sampling and weighing, or refer to test reports. Note the unit is grams per square meter, not ounces per square yard.
Q: How does the blend ratio affect classification?
A: The blend ratio affects the determination of the main fiber. If cotton content is higher than man-made fibers, classify under 5211; if man-made fiber content is higher than cotton, it may be classified under 5514. At the same time, cotton content <85% is a prerequisite for 5211.
Q: What are the consequences of incomplete declaration elements at customs?
A: It may lead to failure of customs document review, delay in customs clearance, or even penalties due to classification errors. It is recommended to fill in complete elements such as product name, composition, gram weight, weave, process, etc.
Q: What is the main difference between 5211.42 and 5211.41?
A: 5211.42 is twill weave, 5211.41 is plain weave. Other conditions are the same (cotton <85%, blended with man-made fibers, yarn-dyed, gram weight >200g).
Q: If the fabric undergoes special finishing (e.g., waterproofing), does it affect classification?
A: Generally not, unless the finishing imparts characteristics of other chapters (e.g., plastic coating classified under Chapter 59). Ordinary waterproof finishing is still classified under Chapter 52.
⚠️ 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.