Chapter 52 HS Codes – Cotton

Duty rates compared

UK Free – 8% Third-country duty 226 tariff lines · average 5.2%

EU Free – 8% Third-country duty 149 tariff lines · average 6.4%

Türkiye Free – 8% Third-country duty 202 tariff lines · average 5.6%

USA Free – 16.5% General (MFN) 233 tariff lines · average 8.6% · 11× specific or compound duty

Headings 12

5201Cotton, not carded or combed UK Free · EU Free · Türkiye Free · USA Free
5202Cotton waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock) UK Free · EU Free · Türkiye Free · USA 0%–4.3%
5203Cotton, carded or combed EU Free · Türkiye Free · USA 4.3%–5%
5204Cotton sewing thread, whether or not put up for retail sale UK Free · EU 4%–5% · Türkiye 4%–5% · USA 4.4%
5205Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing 85 % or more by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale UK Free · EU 4%–4.4% · Türkiye 4%–4.4% · USA 3.7%–12%
5206Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing less than 85 % by weight of cotton, not put up for retail sale UK Free · EU 4% · Türkiye 4% · USA 9.2%
5207Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread) put up for retail sale UK Free · EU 5% · Türkiye 5% · USA 0%–5%
5208Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85 % or more by weight of cotton, weighing not more than 200 g/m2 UK 8% · EU 8% · Türkiye 8% · USA 0%–14.7%
5209Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85 % or more by weight of cotton, weighing more than 200 g/m2 UK 8% · EU 8% · Türkiye 8% · USA 3%–8.4%
5210Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85 % by weight of cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing not more than 200 g/m2 UK Free · EU 8% · Türkiye 8% · USA 7.8%–15.5%
5211Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85 % by weight of cotton, mixed mainly or solely with man-made fibres, weighing more than 200 g/m2 UK 8% · EU 8% · Türkiye 8% · USA 0%–8.4%
5212Other woven fabrics of cotton UK 8% · EU 8% · Türkiye 8% · USA 0%–16.5%

EU: imports by month

last 12 months€2.2bn-11.7% · previous 12 months

Average import price€3.90 per kg

Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

World trade in 2024

52 · US$51bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$9mUS$9m+US$81m+US$330m+> US$3bn

Exports: 195

China: US$10bn
India: US$7bn
United States: US$6bn
Brazil: US$5bn
Vietnam: US$3bn
Pakistan: US$3bn
Australia: US$2bn
Türkiye: US$2bn
Uzbekistan: US$1bn
Italy: US$1bn
Germany: US$552m
Egypt: US$539m
Benin: US$533m
Spain: US$506m
Greece: US$487m
Indonesia: US$472m
Austria: US$406m
Burkina Faso: US$355m
South Korea: US$330m
Malaysia: US$312m
Côte d’Ivoire: US$303m
France: US$292m
Japan: US$286m
Thailand: US$254m
Portugal: US$236m
Taiwan: US$231m
Afghanistan: US$226m
Azerbaijan: US$224m
Hong Kong SAR China: US$216m
Netherlands: US$202m
Argentina: US$180m
Mexico: US$171m
Mali: US$159m
Kazakhstan: US$156m
Belgium: US$136m
Bangladesh: US$134m
Dominican Republic: US$123m
Turkmenistan: US$119m
United Kingdom: US$108m
Czechia: US$106m
Tanzania: US$102m
Costa Rica: US$101m
Sudan: US$94m
Guatemala: US$93m
El Salvador: US$91m
Honduras: US$81m
Switzerland: US$79m
Romania: US$74m
South Africa: US$67m
Tajikistan: US$66m
Poland: US$62m
Syria: US$52m
Paraguay: US$50m
Denmark: US$48m
Nicaragua: US$47m
Bulgaria: US$44m
Hungary: US$41m
Chad: US$36m
Morocco: US$35m
Togo: US$33m

Top exporters

Rank	Country	Value	Share
1	China	US$10bn	19.7%
2	India	US$7bn	12.8%
3	United States	US$6bn	12.3%
4	Brazil	US$5bn	10.3%
5	Vietnam	US$3bn	5.6%
6	Pakistan	US$3bn	5.5%
7	Australia	US$2bn	4.6%
8	Türkiye	US$2bn	4.3%
9	Uzbekistan	US$1bn	2.8%
10	Italy	US$1bn	2.1%

Top importers

Rank	Country	Value	Share
1	China	US$8bn	16.4%
2	Bangladesh	US$8bn	14.9%
3	Vietnam	US$5bn	9.4%
4	Pakistan	US$2bn	4.6%
5	Türkiye	US$2bn	4.6%
6	Indonesia	US$2bn	3%
7	India	US$1bn	2.6%
8	Egypt	US$996m	1.9%
9	Italy	US$946m	1.8%
10	United States	US$910m	1.8%

In the UK Global Tariff, chapter 52 covers 226 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 8%. 79 of them are duty-free.

The EU Combined Nomenclature divides chapter 52 into 149 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 8% (average 6.4%). 6 of them are duty-free.

In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, chapter 52 covers 202 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 8%. 14 of them are duty-free.

World trade in chapter 52 goods reached US$51bn in 2024, down 0.8% on 2023.

China was the largest exporter with 19.7% of the total, ahead of India.

China imported the most (US$8bn).

Chapter notes

Subheading note

1. For the purposes of subheadings 520942 and 521142, the expression ‘denim’ means fabrics of yarns of different colours, of 3-thread or 4-thread twill, including broken twill, warp faced, the warp yarns of which are of one and the same colour and the weft yarns of which are unbleached, bleached, dyed grey or coloured a lighter shade of the colour of the warp yarns.

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for cotton?

Cotton make up HS chapter 52, in section XI of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on cotton in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 52 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 8%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

What is the import duty on cotton in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 52 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 8%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

Which country exports the most cotton?

China, with US$10bn in 2024 (19.7% of world exports).