Subheading · Chapter 56 · Heading 5601
5601.21: Wadding of textile materials and articles thereof: of cotton
Official description Of cotton
5601.21 is a six-digit subheading of heading 5601, wadding of textile materials and articles thereof, chapter 56.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 5601 21 00 00 Of cotton
- 5601 21 10 00 Absorbent 2%
- 5601 21 90 00 Other 2%
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
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 598
- Documents
- 9014
- 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 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Russia, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 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
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 2% |
| 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 |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 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 |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Italy | £12.1m | 25.5% | -3.1% |
 India | £6.9m | 14.5% | +2.1% |
 Bulgaria | £6.8m | 14.3% | +7.6% |
 Türkiye | £5.4m | 11.4% | +26.7% |
 China | £4.7m | 10% | +0.6% |
 France | £3.4m | 7.1% | -5.3% |
 Netherlands | £2.6m | 5.5% | +1% |
 Germany | £2.5m | 5.2% | -39.9% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EUWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$184kUS$184k+US$3m+US$20m+> US$69m
Exports: 132
- China: US$264m
- Germany: US$88m
- Türkiye: US$86m
- India: US$69m
- France: US$57m
- Netherlands: US$54m
- Italy: US$51m
- Uzbekistan: US$50m
- Poland: US$40m
- Mexico: US$38m
- United States: US$29m
- Bulgaria: US$27m
- Japan: US$20m
- Greece: US$20m
- Estonia: US$17m
- Vietnam: US$17m
- Tanzania: US$17m
- Thailand: US$12m
- Russia: US$8m
- Spain: US$8m
- Latvia: US$7m
- Canada: US$6m
- United Kingdom: US$5m
- Kazakhstan: US$5m
- Croatia: US$4m
- Czechia: US$4m
- Austria: US$4m
- Serbia: US$3m
- Brazil: US$3m
- Denmark: US$3m
- Indonesia: US$3m
- Portugal: US$3m
- Hungary: US$2m
- Belgium: US$2m
- Malaysia: US$2m
- Singapore: US$2m
- South Korea: US$2m
- Turkmenistan: US$1m
- Sweden: US$1m
- Switzerland: US$1m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$1m
- Egypt: US$1m
- Slovenia: US$1m
- Armenia: US$1m
- Ukraine: US$988k
- South Africa: US$954k
- Slovakia: US$843k
- Taiwan: US$831k
- Cambodia: US$744k
- Philippines: US$704k
- Dominican Republic: US$487k
- Australia: US$451k
- Lithuania: US$425k
- Pakistan: US$362k
- New Zealand: US$361k
- Saudi Arabia: US$219k
- Argentina: US$217k
- Ireland: US$216k
- Peru: US$215k
- Paraguay: US$200k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$619kUS$619k+US$4m+US$12m+> US$30m
Imports: 213
- United States: US$119m
- France: US$85m
- Germany: US$66m
- United Kingdom: US$60m
- Russia: US$45m
- Japan: US$41m
- Canada: US$30m
- Spain: US$26m
- Netherlands: US$25m
- Vietnam: US$24m
- Philippines: US$22m
- Australia: US$21m
- Mexico: US$21m
- Poland: US$19m
- Belgium: US$17m
- Italy: US$17m
- Czechia: US$15m
- Austria: US$14m
- Indonesia: US$14m
- India: US$12m
- Taiwan: US$12m
- China: US$12m
- Kazakhstan: US$11m
- Ukraine: US$11m
- Romania: US$11m
- Sweden: US$10m
- Ireland: US$10m
- Saudi Arabia: US$10m
- Denmark: US$10m
- Thailand: US$9m
- Israel: US$9m
- United Arab Emirates: US$8m
- Malaysia: US$8m
- Hungary: US$8m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$7m
- Switzerland: US$7m
- Singapore: US$7m
- South Africa: US$7m
- South Korea: US$6m
- Chile: US$6m
- Slovakia: US$6m
- Türkiye: US$6m
- Finland: US$6m
- Croatia: US$6m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$6m
- Iraq: US$6m
- Norway: US$5m
- Greece: US$5m
- Serbia: US$5m
- Bulgaria: US$5m
- Moldova: US$4m
- Kuwait: US$4m
- Pakistan: US$4m
- Peru: US$4m
- Brazil: US$4m
- Colombia: US$4m
- Latvia: US$3m
- Slovenia: US$3m
- Morocco: US$3m
- Portugal: US$3m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$264m | 25.1% |
| 2 | Germany | US$88m | 8.4% |
| 3 | Türkiye | US$86m | 8.2% |
| 4 | India | US$69m | 6.6% |
| 5 | France | US$57m | 5.4% |
| 6 | Netherlands | US$54m | 5.1% |
| 7 | Italy | US$51m | 4.8% |
| 8 |  Uzbekistan | US$50m | 4.7% |
| 9 |  Poland | US$40m | 3.8% |
| 10 |  Mexico | US$38m | 3.7% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States | US$119m | 11.4% |
| 2 | France | US$85m | 8.1% |
| 3 | Germany | US$66m | 6.3% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | US$60m | 5.7% |
| 5 |  Russia | US$45m | 4.3% |
| 6 |  Japan | US$41m | 3.9% |
| 7 |  Canada | US$30m | 2.8% |
| 8 |  Spain | US$26m | 2.5% |
| 9 | Netherlands | US$25m | 2.4% |
| 10 |  Vietnam | US$24m | 2.3% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 6
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N340357 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of an electric vaporizer from China
- N334928 U.S. CBP
The country of origin determination of cotton swabs; 19 CFR 102.21(c)(2)
- N330026 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of cotton swabs, cotton pads, and an emery board from China.
- N313260 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification, country of origin and country of origin marking of cotton pads; 19 CFR 102.21(c)(2); 19 CFR 134
- N290532 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of cotton balls from Turkey and China
- N290573 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of cotton balls from Turkey
In the UK Global Tariff, subheading 5601.21 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 2%.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides subheading 5601.21 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is 3.8%.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard 2%; 174 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £47.3m (down 5% on the year before), at an average of £4.16 per kg; Italy supplied 26%, followed by India.
World trade in these goods reached US$1bn in 2024, up 1.5% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 25.1% of the total, ahead of Germany.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for wadding of textile materials and articles thereof: of cotton?
Wadding of textile materials and articles thereof: of cotton fall under HS subheading 5601.21, part of heading 5601, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on wadding of textile materials and articles thereof in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5601.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 2%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on wadding of textile materials and articles thereof in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5601.21 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 3.8%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most wadding of textile materials and articles thereof?
China, with US$264m in 2024 (25.1% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
174 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 2% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on these goods?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Italy (26%), India (15%) and Bulgaria (14%), out of total imports of £47.3m.