Heading · Chapter 55
5501: Synthetic filament tow
6 subheadings make up heading 5501 in chapter 55 (man-made staple fibres).
Duty rates compared
UK
EUSubheadings 6
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$231.7kUS$231.7k+US$3.1m+US$18.1m+> US$100.7m
Exports: 91
- Japan: US$294.3m
- China: US$108.8m
- South Korea: US$100.7m
- Thailand: US$79.9m
- United States: US$77m
- Türkiye: US$59.2m
- Malaysia: US$32.7m
- Portugal: US$30.2m
- South Africa: US$18.1m
- Germany: US$17.8m
- France: US$17.1m
- Hungary: US$15.2m
- Mexico: US$14.1m
- India: US$9.4m
- Spain: US$9.1m
- Peru: US$8.2m
- Singapore: US$8m
- Denmark: US$6m
- United Kingdom: US$3.7m
- Italy: US$3.5m
- United Arab Emirates: US$3.1m
- Netherlands: US$2.4m
- Taiwan: US$1.6m
- Brazil: US$1.2m
- Indonesia: US$1m
- Vietnam: US$1m
- Guatemala: US$819k
- Austria: US$799.6k
- Belarus: US$610.8k
- Romania: US$530.3k
- Tanzania: US$498k
- Switzerland: US$468.9k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$456.4k
- Kenya: US$435.8k
- North Korea: US$420.8k
- Bulgaria: US$415.7k
- Belgium: US$415.2k
- Nigeria: US$396.9k
- Saudi Arabia: US$373.4k
- Luxembourg: US$354.2k
- Poland: US$242.6k
- Israel: US$231.7k
- Canada: US$210.5k
- Czechia: US$190k
- Senegal: US$187.4k
- Honduras: US$180.9k
- Slovakia: US$171.1k
- Sweden: US$165.9k
- Cameroon: US$132.2k
- Greece: US$113.6k
- Australia: US$84.4k
- Slovenia: US$82.6k
- Egypt: US$70.9k
- El Salvador: US$70k
- Bangladesh: US$68.1k
- Pakistan: US$56.4k
- New Zealand: US$31.7k
- Finland: US$27.5k
- Iceland: US$24.7k
- Serbia: US$23.7k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$232.5kUS$232.5k+US$3.4m+US$17.2m+> US$51.1m
Imports: 166
- United States: US$63.6m
- Türkiye: US$61.4m
- Japan: US$59m
- China: US$58.4m
- Indonesia: US$51.1m
- Kenya: US$47.9m
- Nigeria: US$44.9m
- Bangladesh: US$43.7m
- Senegal: US$39.8m
- Germany: US$38.6m
- Tanzania: US$25.8m
- Togo: US$25.4m
- South Africa: US$22.1m
- Mozambique: US$19.6m
- India: US$19.4m
- Italy: US$18.1m
- Pakistan: US$17.2m
- Spain: US$15.6m
- United Kingdom: US$15.2m
- Cameroon: US$13.7m
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$13.4m
- Zambia: US$12.6m
- Romania: US$12.5m
- Hungary: US$11.9m
- Israel: US$11m
- Egypt: US$10.8m
- France: US$10.4m
- Thailand: US$10.4m
- Malaysia: US$9.7m
- Uganda: US$8.6m
- Ecuador: US$7.3m
- Saudi Arabia: US$6.7m
- Ghana: US$6.5m
- Peru: US$6m
- Netherlands: US$5.5m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$5.5m
- Mexico: US$5.5m
- United Arab Emirates: US$5.4m
- Switzerland: US$3.5m
- Morocco: US$3.5m
- Guatemala: US$3.4m
- Argentina: US$3.4m
- Uzbekistan: US$3.2m
- Portugal: US$3.2m
- Brazil: US$3.1m
- Bulgaria: US$3.1m
- Bolivia: US$2.4m
- Syria: US$2.3m
- Serbia: US$2.2m
- Ethiopia: US$2.2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$2m
- Belgium: US$2m
- Poland: US$1.9m
- Botswana: US$1.8m
- South Korea: US$1.7m
- Czechia: US$1.6m
- Taiwan: US$1.6m
- Finland: US$1.5m
- Denmark: US$1.4m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Japan | US$294.3m | 31.5% |
| 2 |  China | US$108.8m | 11.7% |
| 3 |  South Korea | US$100.7m | 10.8% |
| 4 |  Thailand | US$79.9m | 8.6% |
| 5 |  United States | US$77m | 8.3% |
| 6 |  Türkiye | US$59.2m | 6.3% |
| 7 |  Malaysia | US$32.7m | 3.5% |
| 8 |  Portugal | US$30.2m | 3.2% |
| 9 |  South Africa | US$18.1m | 1.9% |
| 10 |  Germany | US$17.8m | 1.9% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$63.6m | 6.8% |
| 2 | Türkiye | US$61.4m | 6.6% |
| 3 | Japan | US$59m | 6.3% |
| 4 | China | US$58.4m | 6.3% |
| 5 |  Indonesia | US$51.1m | 5.5% |
| 6 |  Kenya | US$47.9m | 5.1% |
| 7 |  Nigeria | US$44.9m | 4.8% |
| 8 |  Bangladesh | US$43.7m | 4.7% |
| 9 |  Senegal | US$39.8m | 4.3% |
| 10 | Germany | US$38.6m | 4.1% |
In the UK Global Tariff, heading 5501 covers 6 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides heading 5501 into 6 tariff lines; the duty is 4%.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, heading 5501 covers 6 tariff lines and the duty is 4%.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States divides heading 5501 into 6 tariff lines; the duty is 7.5%.
World trade in heading 5501 goods reached US$932.8m in 2024, down 11.1% on 2023.
Japan was the largest exporter with 31.5% of the total, ahead of China.
The United States imported the most (US$63.6m).
The United Kingdom ranked 19th among 91 exporters with US$3.7m.
The United Kingdom imported US$15.2m.
Legal notes
Note
1. Headings 5501 and 5502 apply only to man-made filament tow, consisting of parallel filaments of a uniform length equal to the length of the tow, meeting the following specifications:
(a) length of tow exceeding 2 m;
(b) twist less than five turns per metre;
(c) measuring per filament less than 67 decitex;
(d) synthetic filament tow only: the tow must be drawn, that is to say, be incapable of being stretched by more than 100 % of its length;
(e) total measurement of tow more than 20000 decitex.
Tow of a length not exceeding 2 m is to be classified in heading 5503 or 5504.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for synthetic filament tow?
Synthetic filament tow fall under HS heading 5501, part of chapter 55, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on synthetic filament tow in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5501 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on synthetic filament tow in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5501 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 4%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most synthetic filament tow?
Japan, with US$294.3m in 2024 (31.5% of world exports).