HS code · 2-digit chapter

HS Code 53 – Vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn

What HS 53 covers

Chapter 53 of the Harmonized System (HS) encompasses a diverse range of vegetable textile fibres, specifically excluding cotton (Chapter 52) and certain other fibres covered elsewhere, focusing instead on true hemp, jute, other bast fibres, sisal, abaca, coir, ramie, and other miscellaneous vegetable textile fibres. Uniquely, this chapter also includes paper yarn and woven fabrics made from paper yarn. The scope extends from the raw, unspun fibres, through various stages of processing such as carding or combing, to spun yarns and their woven fabrics. It provides a distinct classification for these natural, often sustainable, materials that serve both traditional industrial and modern textile applications. Key sub-categories within Chapter 53 include raw and processed true hemp (5301), jute and other bast fibres like kenaf (5303), sisal and other Agave fibres (5304), and coir, abaca, and ramie (5305). Subsequent headings detail the yarns (5306-5308) and woven fabrics (5309-5311) derived from these specific fibres. Correct classification under this chapter is paramount for trade compliance, directly impacting applicable duties, quotas, and eligibility for preferential trade agreements such as GSP or FTAs. These fibres have a rich historical significance, particularly jute for sacking and ropes, and are now seeing a resurgence in demand for eco-friendly textiles, geotextiles, and composite materials due to their biodegradable and renewable properties. Understanding the precise fibre type and processing stage is crucial for accurate customs declarations and avoiding costly penalties.

Covers
  • Raw jute fibres
  • Jute sliver
  • Jute yarn (single, multiple)
  • Woven jute sacking fabric
  • Hessian cloth (jute)
  • Raw true hemp fibres
  • Hemp tow
  • Hemp yarn for apparel
  • Woven hemp canvas
  • Sisal fibres (raw, processed)
  • Sisal twine
  • Abaca (Manila hemp) fibres
  • Abaca yarn
  • Coir fibres (raw, processed)
  • Coir yarn for mats
  • Woven coir geotextiles
  • Ramie fibres (degummed)
  • Ramie yarn for textiles
  • Woven ramie fabric for clothing
  • Paper yarn for weaving
  • Woven fabric made from paper yarn
  • Yarn of mixed jute and other bast fibres
  • Woven fabric of sisal and abaca blend
  • Hemp denim fabric
  • Jute carpet backing fabric
Examples

A Bangladeshi manufacturer exports large quantities of jute sacking fabric (HS 5310.90) to agricultural markets in the United States and Europe, used for packaging grains and coffee beans. This often involves bulk ocean freight shipments from Chittagong or Mongla ports to Rotterdam or New Orleans. A Chinese textile company imports raw, degummed ramie fibres (HS 5305.00) from Vietnam to spin into high-quality ramie yarn (HS 5308.20) for blending with cotton and linen, which is then woven into apparel fabrics for export to fashion brands in Italy and Japan. Indian coir producers export coir yarn (HS 5308.10) and woven coir geotextiles (HS 5310.10) to infrastructure projects in the Middle East and Australia, utilized for soil erosion control and landscaping. These shipments typically move via container vessels from Kochi to Dubai or Sydney. A European sustainable fashion brand sources organic hemp yarn (HS 5308.20) from suppliers in Eastern Europe (e.g., Romania) or China to produce eco-friendly apparel. The yarn is imported into manufacturing facilities in Portugal or Turkey for weaving into finished fabrics (HS 5309.90). Japanese interior designers import specialized woven fabrics made from paper yarn (HS 5311.00) from artisanal producers in Korea for unique wall coverings and decorative panels, showcasing the material's distinct texture and environmental appeal.

Headings in chapter 53 10

53.01Flax, raw or processed but not spun; flax tow and waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)53.02True hemp (cannabis sativa L.), raw or processed but not spun; tow and waste of true hemp (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)53.03Jute and other textile bast fibres (not flax, true hemp and ramie), raw or processed but not spun; tow and waste of these fibres, including yarn waste and garnetted stock53.05Coconut, abaca (Manila hemp or Musa textilis Nee), ramie and other vegetable textile fibres n.e.c., raw or processed but not spun; tow, noils and waste of these fibres (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)53.06Flax yarn53.07Yarn of jute or of other textile bast fibres of heading no. 530553.08Yarn of other vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn53.09Woven fabrics of flax53.10Woven fabrics of jute, other textile bast fibres of heading no. 530353.11Woven fabrics of other vegetable textile fibres; woven fabrics of paper yarn

31 Brazil NCM codes in chapter 53 →

Codes often confused with 53

Common mistake. Common mistakes arise from confusing these specific vegetable fibres with cotton (Chapter 52) or man-made fibres (Chapters 54, 55). For instance, an importer might mistakenly classify a hemp-cotton blend fabric under Chapter 52 if the cotton predominates by weight, when the presence of hemp might necessitate a different classification based on General Interpretive Rule 3(b) or 3(c). Additionally, distinguishing between raw fibres (e.g., HS 5301-5305), yarns (HS 5306-5308), and woven fabrics (HS 5309-5311) is critical, as tariff rates vary significantly. For example, raw jute (5303.10) has a different duty than jute yarn (5308.10) or jute fabric (5310.10). Another error is misidentifying the specific vegetable fibre itself, e.g., confusing sisal with abaca, which can lead to incorrect 6-digit or 8-digit classifications, even if both fall under Chapter 53.

53.01Flax, raw or processed but not spun; flax tow and waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)53.05Coconut, abaca (Manila hemp or Musa textilis Nee), ramie and other vegetable textile fibres n.e.c., raw or processed but not spun; tow, noils and waste of these fibres (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)53.06Flax yarn53.08Yarn of other vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn53.09Woven fabrics of flax53.11Woven fabrics of other vegetable textile fibres; woven fabrics of paper yarn5303.10Jute and other textile bast fibres; raw or retted, but not spun, (excluding flax, hemp (cannabis sativa L.), and ramie)5308.10Yarn; of coir5310.10Fabrics, woven; of jute or of other textile bast fibres of heading no. 5303, unbleached

Top exporters and importers of HS code 53, 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 53 in UN Comtrade data was China, with 25% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was China, with 23% 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 $1.7B
  2. 2 France $1.0B
  3. 3 India $853M

World total: $6.9B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 China $1.5B
  2. 2 India $556M
  3. 3 Bangladesh* ~$469M

World total: $6.6B 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 53

What is HS code 53?

HS code 53 is a 2-digit chapter in the Harmonized System that covers: Vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn. Chapter 53 of the Harmonized System (HS) encompasses a diverse range of vegetable textile fibres, specifically excluding cotton (Chapter 52) and certain other fibres covered elsewhere, focusing instead on true hemp, jute, other bast fibres, sisal, abaca, coir, ramie, and other miscellaneous vegetable textile fibres. Uniquely, this chapter also includes paper yarn and woven fabrics made from paper yarn. The scope extends from the raw, unspun fibres, through various stages of processing such as carding or combing, to spun yarns and their woven fabrics. It provides a distinct classification for these natural, often sustainable, materials that serve both traditional industrial and modern textile applications. Key sub-categories within Chapter 53 include raw and processed true hemp (5301), jute and other bast fibres like kenaf (5303), sisal and other Agave fibres (5304), and coir, abaca, and ramie (5305). Subsequent headings detail the yarns (5306-5308) and woven fabrics (5309-5311) derived from these specific fibres. Correct classification under this chapter is paramount for trade compliance, directly impacting applicable duties, quotas, and eligibility for preferential trade agreements such as GSP or FTAs. These fibres have a rich historical significance, particularly jute for sacking and ropes, and are now seeing a resurgence in demand for eco-friendly textiles, geotextiles, and composite materials due to their biodegradable and renewable properties. Understanding the precise fibre type and processing stage is crucial for accurate customs declarations and avoiding costly penalties.

What products fall under HS code 53?

Raw jute fibres, Jute sliver, Jute yarn (single, multiple), Woven jute sacking fabric, Hessian cloth (jute), Raw true hemp fibres, Hemp tow, Hemp yarn for apparel, Woven hemp canvas, Sisal fibres (raw, processed), Sisal twine, Abaca (Manila hemp) fibres, Abaca yarn, Coir fibres (raw, processed), Coir yarn for mats, Woven coir geotextiles, Ramie fibres (degummed), Ramie yarn for textiles, Woven ramie fabric for clothing, Paper yarn for weaving, Woven fabric made from paper yarn, Yarn of mixed jute and other bast fibres, Woven fabric of sisal and abaca blend, Hemp denim fabric, Jute carpet backing fabric

What are common misclassifications for HS code 53?

Common mistakes arise from confusing these specific vegetable fibres with cotton (Chapter 52) or man-made fibres (Chapters 54, 55). For instance, an importer might mistakenly classify a hemp-cotton blend fabric under Chapter 52 if the cotton predominates by weight, when the presence of hemp might necessitate a different classification based on General Interpretive Rule 3(b) or 3(c). Additionally, distinguishing between raw fibres (e.g., HS 5301-5305), yarns (HS 5306-5308), and woven fabrics (HS 5309-5311) is critical, as tariff rates vary significantly. For example, raw jute (5303.10) has a different duty than jute yarn (5308.10) or jute fabric (5310.10). Another error is misidentifying the specific vegetable fibre itself, e.g., confusing sisal with abaca, which can lead to incorrect 6-digit or 8-digit classifications, even if both fall under Chapter 53.

Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 53?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 53 in UN Comtrade data were China ($1.7B, 25% of world exports), France ($1.0B) and India ($853M). World exports came to about $6.9B, 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 53?

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 53 in UN Comtrade data were China ($1.5B, 23% of world imports), India ($556M) and Bangladesh (about $469M). World imports came to about $6.6B, 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 53 structured?

HS code 53 is a 2-digit chapter code in the Harmonized System maintained by the World Customs Organization. It represents a broad category of goods and contains multiple 4-digit headings and 6-digit subheadings for more specific classifications.