U.S. Seeks Industry Comments Proposed 10% Import Duty on Hats from China

The U.S. recently announced proposed additional import tariffs, at the rate of 10%, on thousands of classifications of goods of Chinese origin, including hats.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is accepting public comments on the proposal. Specifically USTR wants to hear from you regarding the specific tariff subheadings to be subject to increased duties whether:

• they should be removed from the list;
• they should stay on the list at 10%; or
• they should stay on the list but at a lower or higher rate.

Comments are due by August 17th and must address specific 8-digit tariff subheadings. Agathon Associates can assist U.S. companies in drafting and filing comments. Due to the complexity of matching the specific tariff subheadings with the products of interest to individual companies submitting comments I strongly urge interested companies to begin the process as soon as possible.

The list includes the following classifications of headgear:

• 6501.00.30 Hat forms, hat bodies and hoods, not blocked to shape or with made brims; plateaux & manchons; all of fur felt, for men or boys.
• 6501.00.60 Hat forms, hat bodies and hoods, not blocked to shape or with made brims; plateaux & manchons; all of fur felt, not for men or boys.
• 6501.00.90 Hat forms, hat bodies and hoods, not blocked to shape or with made brims; plateaux & manchons; all of felt, other than fur felt.
• 6502.00.20 Hat shapes, plaited or assembled from strips, not blocked/ lined/trimmed & w/o made brims, of veg. fibers or materials, or paper yarn, sewed.
• 6502.00.40 Hat shapes, plaited or assembled from strips, not blocked, not lined, not trimmed & without made brims, of vegetable fibers or materials, not sewed/bleached/colored.
• 6502.00.60 Hat shapes, plaited or assembled from strips, not blocked, not lined, not trimmed & without made brims, of vegetable fibers or materials, not sewed but bleached/colored.
• 6502.00.90 Hat shapes, plaited or assembled from strips, not blocked, not lined, not trimmed & without made brims, not vegetable fibers or vegetable materials, nesoi.
• 6504.00.30 Hats and headgear, plaited or assembled from strips of vegetable fibers or unspun fibrous vegetable materials and/or paper yarn, sewed.
• 6504.00.60 Hats and headgear, plaited or assembled from strips of vegetable fibers or unspun fibrous vegetable materials and/or paper yarn, not sewed.
• 6504.00.90 Hats and headgear, plaited or assembled from strips of any material (other than vegetable fibers/unspun fibrous veg. materials and/or paper yarn).
• 6505.00.01 Hair-nets of any material, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6505.00.04 Hats and headgear of fur felt made from hat forms and hat bodies of 6501.
• 6505.00.08 Hats and headgear made from hat forms and hat bodies of 6501, except of fur felt.
• 6505.00.15 Hats and headgear, of cotton and/or flax, knitted.
• 6505.00.20 Headwear, of cotton, not knitted; certified hand-loomed and folklore hats & headgear, of cotton or flax, not knitted.
• 6505.00.25 Hats and headgear, of cotton or flax, not knitted, not certified hand-loomed folklore goods.
• 6505.00.30 Hats and headgear, of wool, knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabric.
• 6505.00.40 Hats and headgear, of wool, made up from felt or of textile material, not knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabric.
• 6505.00.50 Hats and headgear, of man-made fibers, knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabric, wholly or in part of braid.
• 6505.00.60 Hats and headgear, of man-made fibers, knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabrics, not in part of braid.
• 6505.00.70 Hats and headgear, of man-made fibers, made up from felt or of textile material, not knitted or crocheted, wholly or in part braid.
• 6505.00.80 Hats and headgear, of man-made fibers, made up from felt or of textile material, not knitted or crocheted, not in part of braid.
• 6505.00.90 Hats and headgear, of textile materials (other than of cotton, flax, wool or man-made fibers), nesoi.
• 6506.10.30 Safety headgear of reinforced or laminated plastics, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6506.10.60 Safety headgear, other than of reinforced or laminated plastics, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6506.91.00 Headgear (other than safety headgear), nesoi, of rubber or plastics, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6506.99.30 Headgear, nesoi, of furskin, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6506.99.60 Headgear (other than safety headgear), nesoi, of materials other than rubber, plastics, or furskins, whether or not lined or trimmed.
• 6507.00.00 Headbands, linings, covers, hat foundations, hat frames, peaks (visors) and chinstraps, for headgear.