Product classification

HS code for Excelsior: 4405.00

Wood, wood wool and wood flour.

Classification of excelsior under HS 4405.00

Excelsior, commonly known as wood wool, is classified under HS code 4405.00. This classification is determined by the physical state of the wood and its intended primary use as a packing, stuffing, or filtration material. According to the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI) and the Explanatory Notes to Chapter 44, wood wool consists of slender slivers of wood, usually of coniferous origin, which are curled or twisted. Unlike wood chips or sawdust, excelsior is manufactured through a specific shaving process that preserves the length and flexibility of the fibers, making it suitable for cushioning fragile goods or for use in evaporative cooling pads. The classification 4405.00 specifically groups wood wool and wood flour together because they represent the finest mechanical reductions of wood that do not yet constitute wood pulp for papermaking. The material must be in a bulk state or in simple bundles to remain under this code; if it is further processed into specific articles like finished acoustic panels, it may move to other headings.

Covers
  • Wood wool (excelsior) in bulk or bundles
  • Wood flour (finely ground wood powder)
  • Curled wood shavings for packaging
  • Excelsior pads for evaporative coolers
  • Wood wool used for animal bedding
Also under 4405.00
  • Ecovative (mycelium composites using wood flour)
  • various packaging companies
  • animal bedding suppliers

Codes often confused with 4405.00

Common mistake. Excelsior is frequently misclassified under HS code 4401.21 or 4401.22, which covers wood chips or particles. However, 4401 is intended for wood used as fuel or for particle board manufacturing, whereas 4405.00 is specific to the curled, fibrous nature of wood wool. Another common error is using 4403, which is for wood in the rough (logs). If the wood wool is dyed or used for decorative purposes, some importers mistakenly look at Chapter 46 for plaiting materials, but 4405.00 remains the primary classification for the raw material.

4401.21Wood; for fuel, in chips or particles, coniferous, whether or not agglomerated4401.22Wood; for fuel, in chips or particles, non-coniferous, whether or not agglomerated44.01Fuel wood, in logs, billets, twigs, faggots or similar forms; wood in chip or particles; sawdust and wood waste and scrap, whether or not agglomerated in logs, briquettes, pellets or similar forms44.03Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared

Top exporters and importers of HS 440500 (the code used for excelsior), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 440500 (the code used for excelsior) in UN Comtrade data was Germany, with 39% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the Netherlands, with 12% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Figures cover everything classified under HS 440500, not only excelsior.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 Germany $33M
  2. 2 Vietnam* ~$14M
  3. 3 Ukraine* ~$7.7M

World total: $85M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 Netherlands $11M
  2. 2 Germany $9.0M
  3. 3 South Korea $8.7M

World total: $93M 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.

Brazil NCM code for excelsior

Brazil classifies excelsior under NCM 4405.00.00: HS 4405.00 with 00 added.

Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.

EU Regulatory Requirements

This product category is subject to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Importers must provide due diligence statements proving the product was not produced on deforested land after December 31, 2020.

This product is covered by the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), requiring operators to exercise due diligence to minimize the risk of placing illegally harvested timber on the EU market.

Questions about excelsior

What is the HS code for Excelsior?

The HS code for Excelsior is 440500 (Wood; wood wool and wood flour). The HS code for excelsior (wood wool) is 4405.00.

How do I classify Excelsior for customs?

Excelsior is classified under HS code 440500 — Wood; wood wool and wood flour. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

Is wood flour classified differently than wood wool?

No, both wood wool and wood flour are grouped together under the same HS code, 4405.00, as they are both considered basic mechanical reductions of wood.

Which countries are the top exporters of excelsior (HS 440500)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 440500 (the code used for excelsior) in UN Comtrade data were Germany ($33M, 39% of world exports), Vietnam (about $14M) and Ukraine (about $7.7M). World exports came to about $85M, 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 excelsior (HS 440500)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 440500 (the code used for excelsior) in UN Comtrade data were the Netherlands ($11M, 12% of world imports), Germany ($9.0M) and South Korea ($8.7M). World imports came to about $93M, 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.

Is the HS code for Excelsior the same in all countries?

The base HS code 440500 for Excelsior is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.

What is the NCM code for excelsior in Brazil?

In Brazil, excelsior (HS 440500) is classified under NCM 4405.00.00.