Subheading · Chapter 55 · Heading 5516
5516.31: Containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial staple: unbleached or bleached
Official description Unbleached or bleached
5516.31 is a six-digit subheading of heading 5516, woven fabrics of artificial staple fibres, chapter 55.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 5516 31 00 00 Unbleached or bleached 8%m²
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 2
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2018/1249
- Documents
- C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
Import requirements 5
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Documents
- Y084 Derogation from import prohibition by virtue of Article 16i (1) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509
- Import controlImport control - CITES
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2021 No. 54
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461
- Documents
- Y966 Goods other than those described in the MG footnotes linked to the measure (Missile Technology Control Regime list - Annex III of Reg. (EU) 267/2012)
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 8% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code " EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 6.4% |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Italy | £13k | 100% | +191.4% |
 France | £0 | 0% | -100% |
 India | £0 | 0% | -100% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU 8% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 8% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
USA 12% – 19.8% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 15.9% 
Canada Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Mexico 25% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Brazil 26% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Argentina 18% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Peru Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
Japan 4.3% – 8.8% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines · average 6.8% 
Taiwan 7.5% – 10% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 8.8% 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia 10% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 10% Third-country duty 1 tariff line World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$30kUS$30k+US$174k+US$440k+> US$2m
Exports: 29
- United Kingdom: US$2m
- China: US$961k
- Italy: US$440k
- United States: US$376k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$236k
- Germany: US$186k
- Spain: US$174k
- Morocco: US$173k
- Egypt: US$169k
- France: US$103k
- Netherlands: US$81k
- Austria: US$44k
- Belgium: US$42k
- Thailand: US$30k
- Türkiye: US$21k
- Taiwan: US$18k
- Bulgaria: US$7k
- Japan: US$7k
- Portugal: US$6k
- India: US$4k
- Indonesia: US$2k
- South Korea: US$2k
- Lithuania: US$2k
- Romania: US$1k
- Sweden: US$800
- Switzerland: US$400
- Denmark: US$300
- Hungary: US$100
- Kenya: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$17kUS$17k+US$52k+US$135k+> US$351k
Imports: 66
- Morocco: US$3m
- Türkiye: US$351k
- Indonesia: US$216k
- United Kingdom: US$210k
- India: US$172k
- Mexico: US$171k
- Italy: US$135k
- Portugal: US$104k
- Algeria: US$98k
- Poland: US$90k
- Austria: US$83k
- Romania: US$79k
- Vietnam: US$71k
- Jordan: US$70k
- Canada: US$60k
- Belgium: US$52k
- Colombia: US$52k
- Germany: US$44k
- Japan: US$44k
- France: US$44k
- Albania: US$42k
- Bangladesh: US$34k
- Egypt: US$33k
- United States: US$33k
- Cambodia: US$28k
- Thailand: US$27k
- United Arab Emirates: US$22k
- Spain: US$21k
- Singapore: US$21k
- South Africa: US$21k
- China: US$18k
- Myanmar (Burma): US$18k
- Hungary: US$17k
- Qatar: US$16k
- Brazil: US$16k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$15k
- Switzerland: US$14k
- Senegal: US$13k
- Sri Lanka: US$10k
- Malaysia: US$9k
- Lithuania: US$8k
- Tunisia: US$8k
- Russia: US$7k
- Bulgaria: US$6k
- South Korea: US$6k
- Belarus: US$6k
- Australia: US$5k
- Serbia: US$5k
- Czechia: US$4k
- Denmark: US$3k
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$3k
- Kazakhstan: US$3k
- Norway: US$2k
- Greece: US$2k
- Lebanon: US$2k
- North Macedonia: US$1k
- Sweden: US$800
- Ethiopia: US$400
- Ireland: US$400
- Netherlands: US$400
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | US$2m | 40.3% |
| 2 |  China | US$961k | 18.6% |
| 3 | Italy | US$440k | 8.5% |
| 4 | United States | US$376k | 7.3% |
| 5 |  Hong Kong SAR China | US$236k | 4.6% |
| 6 |  Germany | US$186k | 3.6% |
| 7 |  Spain | US$174k | 3.4% |
| 8 |  Morocco | US$173k | 3.4% |
| 9 |  Egypt | US$169k | 3.3% |
| 10 | France | US$103k | 2% |
Import duty on this product around the world 164
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 10%median duty
- 27number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 40%highest: Sudan, Iran, Algeria
164
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 2.5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 10% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 30% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 5% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 26% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 12% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Australia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 30% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 5% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 10% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 6.5% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 10% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 22% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 26% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 10% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 25% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 7% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cayman Islands | 12% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 8% | 2023 | |
 Colombia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 9% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 30% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Egypt | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 10% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 22% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 25% | 20% – 30% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
| European Union (27 countries) | 8% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 0% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 8% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 10% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 10% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 10% | 2023 | |
| Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
| India | 15% | 10% – 20% | 2023 |
 Indonesia | 15% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 32% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 6.8% | 4.3% – 8.8% | 2023 |
 Jordan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 10% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 25%* | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 15% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 22% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 20% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 25% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Malaysia | 10% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 10% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 8% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Morocco | 8.5% | 2.5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Mozambique | 20% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 22% | 2023 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 15% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 10% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 10% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 10% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 10% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 11% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 6% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 10% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 10% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 10% | 2023 | |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 22% | 2023 | |
 South Korea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 0.5%* | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 5% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 5% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 40% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Suriname | 5% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 0% | 2023 | |
 Syria | 10% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 7% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 25% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 5%* | 2023 | |
 Togo | 10% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 8% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 23% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Ukraine | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 8% | 2023 | |
| United States | 16% | 12% – 20% | 2023 |
 Uruguay | 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 5% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 26% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Vietnam | 12% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 5% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 15% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.1% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 65382 Fabrics, woven, <85% of artificial fibres, mixed mainly/solely with wool/fine animal hair
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 411220
- CPC 2.1 product
- 26770 Woven fabrics of man-made staple fibres, containing less than 85% of such fibres, mixed mainly or solely with wool or fine animal hair
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 1312 Weaving of textiles
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 5516.31 | unchanged |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Subheading 5516.31 is a single line in the UK Global Tariff, where the duty is 8%.
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 5516.31; the duty is 8%.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard 8%; 173 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £12.7k (down 51% on the year before), at an average of £28.83 per kg; Italy supplied 100%, followed by France.
World trade in these goods reached US$5m in 2024, up 48.8% on 2023.
The United Kingdom was the largest exporter with 40.3% of the total, ahead of China.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial staple: unbleached or bleached?
Containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial staple: unbleached or bleached fall under HS subheading 5516.31, part of heading 5516, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5516.31 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 8%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5516.31 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 8%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most containing less than 85 % by weight of artificial…?
The United Kingdom, with US$2m in 2024 (40.3% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
173 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 8% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Italy (100%), France (0%) and India (0%), out of total imports of £12.7k.