Chapter · Section XI
Chapter 50: Silk
- 0%–6%UK
- 0%–7.5%EU
- 30%–150%Türkiye
- 0%–3.9%USA
- US$1.6bnWorld trade in 2024
7 headings make up chapter 50, part of section XI, textiles and textile articles.
In the UK Global Tariff, chapter 50 covers 43 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 6%. 11 of them are duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides chapter 50 into 24 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 7.5% (average 5.1%). 3 of them are duty-free.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, chapter 50 covers 33 tariff lines and the statutory rate is between 30% and 150%.
World trade in chapter 50 goods reached US$1.6bn in 2024, down 10.1% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 41% of the total, ahead of Italy.
Italy imported the most (US$287.4m).
Duty rates compared
UK Free – 6% Third-country duty 43 tariff lines · average 4.1% 
EU Free – 7.5% Third-country duty 24 tariff lines · average 5.1% 
Türkiye 30% – 150% Statutory rate (Law 474) 33 tariff lines · average 97.9% 
USA Free – 3.9% General (MFN) 13 tariff lines · average 0.9% The Turkish schedule prints the statutory rate set under Customs Law 474. The rate applied at import is laid down in the Import Regime Decision and can be lower, or different by country of origin.
Headings 7
- 5001Silkworm cocoons suitable for reeling
- 5002Raw silk (not thrown)
- 5003Silk waste (including cocoons unsuitable for reeling, yarn waste and garnetted stock)
- 5004Silk yarn (other than yarn spun from silk waste) not put up for retail sale
- 5005Yarn spun from silk waste, not put up for retail sale
- 5006Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste, put up for retail sale; silkworm gut
- 5007Woven fabrics of silk or of silk waste
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$82.6kUS$82.6k+US$1.2m+US$18.6m+> US$140.2m
Exports: 136
- China: US$668.1m
- Italy: US$256.3m
- India: US$153.7m
- Vietnam: US$140.2m
- Romania: US$91.3m
- Uzbekistan: US$54m
- Brazil: US$40.3m
- Japan: US$28.9m
- France: US$27.2m
- United Kingdom: US$24.7m
- South Korea: US$18.9m
- Germany: US$18.7m
- Austria: US$18.6m
- Qatar: US$10.6m
- North Korea: US$6.9m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$6.6m
- Spain: US$6.5m
- Switzerland: US$6m
- Thailand: US$5.7m
- Slovenia: US$5.4m
- United States: US$3.7m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$3.6m
- Türkiye: US$3.5m
- Tunisia: US$3.3m
- South Africa: US$2.3m
- San Marino: US$2.2m
- Belgium: US$1.7m
- Lithuania: US$1.6m
- Netherlands: US$1.3m
- Greece: US$1.3m
- Morocco: US$1.2m
- Poland: US$1.2m
- Mexico: US$1.2m
- Hungary: US$1.1m
- Tajikistan: US$1.1m
- Azerbaijan: US$942.2k
- Peru: US$824.8k
- Taiwan: US$820.3k
- Singapore: US$815.6k
- Portugal: US$810k
- Malaysia: US$629.7k
- Norway: US$589k
- Kazakhstan: US$583.7k
- Canada: US$526.8k
- Bulgaria: US$472.5k
- Indonesia: US$459.5k
- Denmark: US$385.4k
- Czechia: US$361.3k
- Malta: US$337.2k
- United Arab Emirates: US$329.1k
- Australia: US$223.2k
- Pakistan: US$207.9k
- Mauritius: US$200.1k
- Laos: US$180.8k
- Ireland: US$177k
- Cyprus: US$176.1k
- Sweden: US$127k
- Nicaragua: US$120.3k
- Russia: US$108.6k
- Slovakia: US$107.2k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$381.7kUS$381.7k+US$3.9m+US$17.9m+> US$87.6m
Imports: 179
- Italy: US$287.4m
- India: US$179.4m
- France: US$116.9m
- Romania: US$99.6m
- United Arab Emirates: US$90.6m
- China: US$87.6m
- Japan: US$84.4m
- United States: US$72.1m
- Vietnam: US$66.7m
- Germany: US$54.5m
- Pakistan: US$36.3m
- United Kingdom: US$30.7m
- Tunisia: US$29.1m
- Türkiye: US$28.5m
- South Korea: US$28.1m
- Sri Lanka: US$27m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$20.4m
- Austria: US$17.9m
- Morocco: US$16m
- Spain: US$15.1m
- Tajikistan: US$14.4m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$12.5m
- Slovenia: US$11.9m
- Portugal: US$10.1m
- Poland: US$9.4m
- Thailand: US$8.8m
- Cambodia: US$8.6m
- Singapore: US$8.3m
- Qatar: US$7.4m
- Nepal: US$7.2m
- Peru: US$7.1m
- Switzerland: US$6.7m
- Russia: US$6.2m
- Bulgaria: US$6.1m
- Iran: US$5.9m
- Madagascar: US$5.8m
- Brazil: US$5.6m
- Saudi Arabia: US$5.5m
- Belgium: US$5.3m
- Belarus: US$4.7m
- Netherlands: US$4.5m
- Malaysia: US$4.3m
- Canada: US$4.1m
- Bangladesh: US$3.9m
- South Africa: US$3.9m
- Afghanistan: US$3.4m
- Australia: US$3.1m
- Indonesia: US$2.9m
- Czechia: US$2.8m
- Nigeria: US$2.5m
- Taiwan: US$2.3m
- Philippines: US$2.2m
- Lebanon: US$2.2m
- Denmark: US$2.2m
- Greece: US$2m
- Egypt: US$1.9m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$1.8m
- Moldova: US$1.8m
- Hungary: US$1.7m
- Iraq: US$1.6m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$668.1m | 41% |
| 2 |  Italy | US$256.3m | 15.7% |
| 3 |  India | US$153.7m | 9.4% |
| 4 |  Vietnam | US$140.2m | 8.6% |
| 5 |  Romania | US$91.3m | 5.6% |
| 6 |  Uzbekistan | US$54m | 3.3% |
| 7 |  Brazil | US$40.3m | 2.5% |
| 8 |  Japan | US$28.9m | 1.8% |
| 9 |  France | US$27.2m | 1.7% |
| 10 | United Kingdom | US$24.7m | 1.5% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | US$287.4m | 17.6% |
| 2 | India | US$179.4m | 11% |
| 3 | France | US$116.9m | 7.2% |
| 4 | Romania | US$99.6m | 6.1% |
| 5 |  United Arab Emirates | US$90.6m | 5.6% |
| 6 | China | US$87.6m | 5.4% |
| 7 | Japan | US$84.4m | 5.2% |
| 8 | United States | US$72.1m | 4.4% |
| 9 | Vietnam | US$66.7m | 4.1% |
| 10 |  Germany | US$54.5m | 3.3% |
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for silk?
Silk make up HS chapter 50, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on silk in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 50 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 6%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on silk in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 50 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 7.5%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most silk?
China, with US$668.1m in 2024 (41% of world exports).