Product classification
HS code for Silkworm gut: 5006.00
Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gut.
Classification of silkworm gut under HS 5006.00
Silkworm gut is classified under HS code 5006.00. This material is produced by extracting the silk glands from a silkworm just before it begins to spin its cocoon and stretching them into a strong, transparent filament. In the Harmonized System, this product is grouped with silk yarn put up for retail sale. Although it is not a spun yarn, its physical properties and use in specialized applications like fly-fishing leaders or non-sterile ligatures place it within this specific silk category. The classification is determined by the material origin (silk) and the specific inclusion of "silk-worm gut" in the text of heading 5006.
- Covers
- Natural silkworm gut filaments
- Non-sterile silk gut for fishing
- Silk gut for industrial applications
- Unprocessed silk gland filaments
- Silk-worm gut in hanks
- Also under 5006.00
- DMC silk embroidery floss
- Habu Textiles silk yarn
- Treenway Silks retail yarn
- Pearsall's Gossamer silk thread
- Cortland silk-worm gut
Codes often confused with 5006.00
Common mistake. Silkworm gut is frequently confused with HS code 3006.10, which covers sterile surgical catgut and similar sterile suture materials. If the silkworm gut has been sterilized and packaged for surgical use, it must be classified in Chapter 30. Another common error is HS code 9507.90, which covers fishing tackle. While silkworm gut is used for fishing leaders, the raw filament itself is classified in Chapter 50 unless it has been significantly processed into a finished piece of fishing tackle.
Top exporters and importers of HS 500600 (the code used for silkworm gut), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 500600 (the code used for silkworm gut) in UN Comtrade data was Italy, with 13% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was Nigeria, with 31% 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 500600, not only silkworm gut.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 Italy $1.0M 13% of world exports
- 2 India $990K 13% of world exports
- 3 Germany $817K 11% of world exports
World total: $7.6M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 Nigeria $4.9M 31% of world imports
- 2 United States $3.0M 19% of world imports
- 3 India $1.0M 6.5% of world imports
World total: $16M 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 code for silkworm gut
Brazil classifies silkworm gut under NCM 5006.00.00: HS 5006.00 with 00 added.
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about silkworm gut
What is the HS code for Silkworm gut?
The HS code for Silkworm gut is 500600 (Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste; put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gut). The HS code for silkworm gut is 5006.00, which it shares with silk yarn put up for retail sale.
How do I classify Silkworm gut for customs?
Silkworm gut is classified under HS code 500600 — Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste; put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gut. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Is silkworm gut used for surgery classified here?
Only if it is non-sterile. Once it is prepared as a sterile surgical suture, it is classified under HS code 3006.10.
Which countries are the top exporters of silkworm gut (HS 500600)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 500600 (the code used for silkworm gut) in UN Comtrade data were Italy ($1.0M, 13% of world exports), India ($990K) and Germany ($817K). World exports came to about $7.6M, 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 silkworm gut (HS 500600)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 500600 (the code used for silkworm gut) in UN Comtrade data were Nigeria ($4.9M, 31% of world imports), the United States ($3.0M) and India ($1.0M). World imports came to about $16M, 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 Silkworm gut the same in all countries?
The base HS code 500600 for Silkworm gut 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 silkworm gut in Brazil?
In Brazil, silkworm gut (HS 500600) is classified under NCM 5006.00.00.