Product classification
HS code for Ring travellers: 8448.33
Machines, parts and accessories of machines or auxiliary machinery, spindles, spindle flyers, spinning rings and ring travellers.
Classification of ring travellers under HS 8448.33
Ring travellers are classified under HS code 8448.33. This code is designated for specific parts and accessories of machines falling under heading 8445, which includes spinning machines. Heading 8448 covers auxiliary machinery for use with machines of heading 8444, 8445, 8446, or 8447. Subheading 8448.33 is a specific breakout for spindles, spindle flyers, spinning rings, and ring travellers. These components are essential for the ring spinning process, acting as the guide for the yarn as it is wound onto the bobbin while simultaneously providing the necessary tension and twist. Because they are identifiable parts of a spinning machine and are specifically named in the nomenclature of 8448.33, this classification takes precedence over more general parts categories.
- Covers
- Steel ring travellers
- Nylon ring travellers
- C-shaped travellers
- Ear-shaped travellers
- J-shaped travellers for vertical rings
- Also under 8448.33
- Suessen Elite spindles
- SKF spinning rings
- Bräcker ring travellers
- Novibra spindles
- Zinser spindles
Codes often confused with 8448.33
Common mistake. Ring travellers are sometimes incorrectly classified under 8448.39, which is the residual category for other parts of machines of heading 8445. However, since 8448.33 specifically mentions "ring travellers," it must be used according to GIR 1. They are also occasionally confused with 8448.20, which covers parts for machines that extrude man-made fibers (heading 8444), but ring travellers are exclusively used in spinning machines of 8445.
Top exporters and importers of HS 844833 (the code used for ring travellers), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 844833 (the code used for ring travellers) in UN Comtrade data was Switzerland, with 21% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was China, with 28% 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 844833, not only ring travellers.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 Switzerland $29M 21% of world exports
- 2 Czechia $24M 17% of world exports
- 3 Germany $21M 15% of world exports
World total: $140M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 China $37M 28% of world imports
- 2 India $14M 10% of world imports
- 3 Switzerland $8.9M 6.7% of world imports
World total: $131M 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 that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. 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 codes for ring travellers
Brazil splits HS 8448.33 into 2 NCM codes. Pick the one that matches your product:
- 8448.33.10Spinning ring travellers
- 8448.33.90Spindles, spindle flyers and spinning rings
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about ring travellers
What is the HS code for Ring travellers?
The HS code for Ring travellers is 844833 (Machines; parts and accessories of machines or auxiliary machinery, spindles, spindle flyers, spinning rings and ring travellers). The HS code for ring travellers used in textile spinning is 8448.33.
How do I classify Ring travellers for customs?
Ring travellers is classified under HS code 844833 — Machines; parts and accessories of machines or auxiliary machinery, spindles, spindle flyers, spinning rings and ring travellers. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Are ring travellers classified as tools or machine parts?
They are classified as machine parts under heading 8448 because they are integral, specialized components of the spinning frame.
Which countries are the top exporters of ring travellers (HS 844833)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 844833 (the code used for ring travellers) in UN Comtrade data were Switzerland ($29M, 21% of world exports), Czechia ($24M) and Germany ($21M). World exports came to about $140M, 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 ring travellers (HS 844833)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 844833 (the code used for ring travellers) in UN Comtrade data were China ($37M, 28% of world imports), India ($14M) and Switzerland ($8.9M). World imports came to about $131M, 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 Ring travellers the same in all countries?
The base HS code 844833 for Ring travellers 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 ring travellers in Brazil?
Brazil splits HS 844833 into 2 NCM codes, so the right one for ring travellers depends on the product's details: 8448.33.10 (Spinning ring travellers), 8448.33.90 (Spindles, spindle flyers and spinning rings).