Analysis
HTS 5602.90.90 covers other: other (414) under heading 5602 (felt, whether or not impregnated, coated, covered or laminated).
The general rate is 52.9¢/kg + 8%, a specific or compound duty rather than a simple percentage, so the effective burden depends on the unit value of the goods: cheap goods pay proportionally more than expensive ones. Importers usually convert it to an ad valorem equivalent to compare it with other lines.
Goods that qualify under the Australia FTA, the Automotive Products Trade Act, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, the Colombia TPA, and 10 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 52.9¢/kg + 8%. It is also eligible under GSP, the developing-country programme, which Congress has to renew; check whether GSP is in force on the entry date.
The other lines in the same group are 5602.90.30 (laminated fabrics (223), duty-free) and 5602.90.60 (of man-made fibers (223), 6.3%).
Census statistics map these goods to NAICS 313230 (Nonwoven Fabric Mills), an industry of 227 US establishments employing 16,687 people. That concordance is how imports of this line are compared with US output.
Neighbouring lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 5602.90.30 | Laminated fabrics (223) | Free |
| 5602.90.60 | Of man-made fibers (223) | 6.3% |