HS code · 4-digit heading

HS Code 52.08 – Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m2

What HS 52.08 covers

Heading 5208 covers woven fabrics of cotton, specifically those containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, and weighing not more than 200 g/m². This classification is critical for lighter weight cotton fabrics that form the backbone of much of the global apparel and home textiles industry. The 'woven' aspect is key, excluding knitted or non-woven materials. The high cotton content (85%+) signifies a predominantly natural fiber composition, while the weight threshold (≤ 200 g/m²) delineates these fabrics as light to medium-light, suitable for warm-weather clothing, linings, and specific home textile applications. Key sub-categories include various weaves like plain weave (poplin, voile, lawn), twill (lightweight denim), and sateen, differentiated by their specific construction and finish. Accurate classification under 5208 is vital for trade compliance, impacting applicable duties, quotas, and eligibility for preferential trade agreements. Historically, lightweight cotton fabrics have been central to textile trade, particularly for summer wear and shirting. This heading, nested within Chapter 52 (Cotton) and Section XI (Textiles), provides a precise classification that reflects the fabric's material composition, manufacturing method, and density, essential for consistent international trade statistics and tariff application.

Covers
  • Cotton poplin fabric
  • Cotton voile fabric
  • Cotton lawn fabric
  • Cotton cambric fabric
  • Cotton muslin fabric
  • Fine cotton shirting fabric
  • Lightweight cotton denim (less than 200g/m2)
  • Cotton quilt fabric
  • Cotton sheeting (lightweight)
  • Lightweight cotton twill
  • Fine cotton sateen
  • Cotton gauze fabric
  • Cotton batiste
  • Cotton chintz
  • Cotton seersucker
  • Cotton broadcloth
  • Lightweight cotton canvas
  • Cotton percale
  • Cotton calico
  • Organic cotton shirting
  • Printed cotton dress material
  • Cotton lining fabric
  • Bleached cotton fabric (lightweight)
  • Dyed cotton fabric (lightweight).
Examples

A garment factory in Bangladesh imports vast rolls of lightweight cotton poplin fabric from India, primarily for manufacturing men's dress shirts and women's blouses, shipped via container vessels through the Bay of Bengal. A US-based textile wholesaler sources printed cotton lawn fabric from China to supply independent fashion designers and small apparel brands, with shipments arriving at West Coast ports like Long Beach. A European home textile manufacturer imports fine cotton percale sheeting from Pakistan for luxury bed linen, utilizing ocean freight routes to major ports such as Rotterdam or Hamburg.

Subheadings under 52.08 19

5208.11Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, unbleached, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m25208.12Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, unbleached, plain weave, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m25208.13Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, unbleached, 3-thread or 4-thread twill, including cross twill, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.19Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, unbleached, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5208.1, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.21Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, bleached, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m25208.22Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, bleached, plain weave, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m25208.23Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, bleached, 3-thread or 4-thread twill, including cross twill, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.29Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, bleached, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5208.2, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.31Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, dyed, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m25208.32Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, dyed, plain weave, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m25208.33Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, dyed, 3-thread or 4-thread twill, including cross twill, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.39Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, dyed, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5208.3 weighing not more than 200g/m25208.41Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m25208.42Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m25208.43Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, 3-thread or 4-thread twill, including cross twill, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.49Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5208.4, weighing not more than 200g/m25208.51Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, printed, plain weave, weighing not more than 100g/m25208.52Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, printed, plain weave, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m25208.59Fabrics, woven; containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, printed, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5208.5, weighing not more than 200g/m2

20 Brazil NCM codes in heading 52.08 →

Codes often confused with 52.08

Common mistake. A common misclassification error involves confusing heading 5208 with 5209. Both are woven fabrics of cotton with 85%+ cotton content, but 5208 is strictly for fabrics weighing NOT MORE THAN 200 g/m², while 5209 is for fabrics weighing MORE THAN 200 g/m². Incorrectly determining the fabric's weight per square meter is a frequent pitfall. Another mistake is classifying fabrics with less than 85% cotton content (e.g., 5210) here, or misidentifying knitted fabrics (Chapter 60) as woven. Precise measurement of weight and accurate fiber composition analysis are crucial to avoid these errors and ensure correct duty and regulatory compliance.

52.09Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing more than 200g/m252.10Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing not more than 200 g/m2

Top exporters and importers of HS code 5208, 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 5208 in UN Comtrade data was China, with 49% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was Bangladesh, with about 9.2% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 China $4.5B
  2. 2 India $1.3B
  3. 3 Pakistan $495M

World total: $9.1B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 Bangladesh* ~$683M
  2. 2 Vietnam* ~$599M
  3. 3 Morocco $434M

World total: $7.4B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

How these figures are built

109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries marked * did not, so their figures add up what other countries recorded trading with them, and their exports are valued at buyers' CIF prices. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).

Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.

Questions about HS 52.08

What is HS code 5208?

HS code 5208 is a 4-digit heading in the Harmonized System that covers: Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m2. Heading 5208 covers woven fabrics of cotton, specifically those containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, and weighing not more than 200 g/m². This classification is critical for lighter weight cotton fabrics that form the backbone of much of the global apparel and home textiles industry. The 'woven' aspect is key, excluding knitted or non-woven materials. The high cotton content (85%+) signifies a predominantly natural fiber composition, while the weight threshold (≤ 200 g/m²) delineates these fabrics as light to medium-light, suitable for warm-weather clothing, linings, and specific home textile applications. Key sub-categories include various weaves like plain weave (poplin, voile, lawn), twill (lightweight denim), and sateen, differentiated by their specific construction and finish. Accurate classification under 5208 is vital for trade compliance, impacting applicable duties, quotas, and eligibility for preferential trade agreements. Historically, lightweight cotton fabrics have been central to textile trade, particularly for summer wear and shirting. This heading, nested within Chapter 52 (Cotton) and Section XI (Textiles), provides a precise classification that reflects the fabric's material composition, manufacturing method, and density, essential for consistent international trade statistics and tariff application.

What products fall under HS code 5208?

Cotton poplin fabric, cotton voile fabric, cotton lawn fabric, cotton cambric fabric, cotton muslin fabric, fine cotton shirting fabric, lightweight cotton denim (less than 200g/m2), cotton quilt fabric, cotton sheeting (lightweight), lightweight cotton twill, fine cotton sateen, cotton gauze fabric, cotton batiste, cotton chintz, cotton seersucker, cotton broadcloth, lightweight cotton canvas, cotton percale, cotton calico, organic cotton shirting, printed cotton dress material, cotton lining fabric, bleached cotton fabric (lightweight), dyed cotton fabric (lightweight).

What are common misclassifications for HS code 5208?

A common misclassification error involves confusing heading 5208 with 5209. Both are woven fabrics of cotton with 85%+ cotton content, but 5208 is strictly for fabrics weighing NOT MORE THAN 200 g/m², while 5209 is for fabrics weighing MORE THAN 200 g/m². Incorrectly determining the fabric's weight per square meter is a frequent pitfall. Another mistake is classifying fabrics with less than 85% cotton content (e.g., 5210) here, or misidentifying knitted fabrics (Chapter 60) as woven. Precise measurement of weight and accurate fiber composition analysis are crucial to avoid these errors and ensure correct duty and regulatory compliance.

Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 5208?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 5208 in UN Comtrade data were China ($4.5B, 49% of world exports), India ($1.3B) and Pakistan ($495M). World exports came to about $9.1B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Which countries are the top importers of goods under HS code 5208?

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 5208 in UN Comtrade data were Bangladesh (about $683M, 9.2% of world imports), Vietnam (about $599M) and Morocco ($434M). World imports came to about $7.4B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

How is HS code 5208 structured?

HS code 5208 is a 4-digit heading under Chapter 52 of the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (52) identify the chapter, and digits 3-4 (08) specify the heading. This code contains multiple 6-digit subheadings for precise product classification.