HS Code 3809Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing, fixing of dyestuffs, other products and preparations, of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, n.e.c. or included
4 six-digit codes · Heading 9 of 27 in Chapter 38 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 3809 groups the chemicals that help dye soak into cloth, paper and leather, and help it stay there. Pick the subheading by starch content first, then by the industry that uses the product.
The WCO writes heading 3809 as a residual bucket: goods of Chapter 38that answer to “Finishing agents, dye carriers to accelerate the dyeing, fixing of dyestuffs, other products and preparations, of a kind used in the textile, paper, leather or like industries, n.e.c. or included” and that no more specific heading in the chapter already claims. It still carries 4 six-digit codes, 380910 through 380993, so “other” is not the end of the classification here. The heading is number 9 of 27 in Chapter 38, Chemical products n.e.c., which runs to 108 six-digit codes in all.
Six-digit codes under heading 3809
| HS Code | Import–export description |
|---|---|
| 380910 | Finishing agents and dye carriers; to accelerate dyeing or fixing of dye-stuffs, other products and preparations, used in textile, paper, leather etc industries, with basis of amylaceous substances, n.e.c. |
| 380991 | Finishing agents and dye carriers; to accelerate dyeing or fixing of dye-stuffs, other products and preparations, used in the textile industry (excluding those with a basis of amylaceous substances) |
| 380992 | Finishing agents and dye carriers; to accelerate dyeing or fixing of dye-stuffs, other products and preparations, used in the paper industry (excluding those with a basis of amylaceous substances) |
| 380993 | Finishing agents and dye carriers; to accelerate dyeing or fixing of dye-stuffs, other products and preparations, used in the leather or like (excluding paper and textile) industries, (excluding those with a basis of amylaceous substances) |
What HS code 3809 covers
These are chemical helpers used when making and finishing cloth, paper and leather. Some are dye carriers or dyeing accelerators, which help dye soak in faster. Others are dyestuff fixing agents, which help the colour stay put. Textile finishing agents are the usual example, but the same idea applies to paper and leather.
You may also see this code written as HSN 3809. It is the same code under the World Customs Organization (WCO) system.
The heading belongs to the group of Chapter 38 chemical products that are not named anywhere else. A mixture with its own, more specific heading goes there instead. Finishing and dyeing aids that no other heading claims stay here.
HS 3809 subheadings: 3809.10, 3809.91, 3809.92, 3809.93
The heading splits on two simple questions. Is the main base starch? If not, which industry uses the product? These short labels sit beside the official wording in the table above.
- 3809.10: anything with a starch base, whichever industry buys it.
- 3809.92: the paper-making line, for goods with no starch base.
- 3809.93: the leather line, plus similar trades other than paper and textile, for goods with no starch base.
How to choose the right 3809 subheading
Work through the choice in order. The order matters, because the last three subheadings all leave out starch-based goods.
First ask if starch is the base. If it is, stop at 3809.10. If not, look at where the product is used: cloth, paper, or leather and similar trades. That use points to 3809.91, 3809.92 or 3809.93.
Then check the national tariff line. Each country can add its own digits after that, so the full code can differ from one border to the next. Check the local tariff before you ship.
Headings often confused with 3809
Some goods look close to 3809 but belong elsewhere in the chapter. Check these before you settle on a code.
Products that kill pests, weeds or germs go under HS 3808 insecticides and disinfectants. Rubber accelerators and plasticisers go under HS 3812. Solvents, thinners and paint removers go under HS 3814. A chemical mix that fits no heading at all may land in HS 3824 chemical preparations n.e.c.
If you are still unsure, run the product description through the HS code classifier.
HS 3809 import and export data on EximDataX
EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily.
You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo.
For this heading, open the shipment records under each subheading. They show the importers and exporters of textile, paper and leather finishing agents, and the countries they trade with.
Nearby headings in Chapter 38
- 3803Tall oil, whether or not refined1 code
- 3804Residual lyes from the manufacture of wood pulp, whether or not concentrated…1 code
- 3805Gum, wood or sulphate turpentine, other terpenic oils; crude dipentene…2 codes
- 3806Rosin and resin acids and derivatives thereof; rosin spirit and rosin oils…4 codes
- 3807Wood tar; wood tar oils; wood creosote; wood naphtha; vegetable pitch…1 code
- 3808Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products…10 codes
- 3810Metal-pickling preparations; fluxes etc for soldering, brazing; welding…2 codes
- 3811Anti-knock preparations, oxidation and gum inhibitors, viscosity improvers…5 codes
- 3812Prepared rubber accelerators; compound plasticisers for rubber or plastics…4 codes
- 3813Preparations and charges for fire extinguishers; charged fire-extinguishing…1 code
- 3814Organic composite solvents and thinners, not elsewhere specified or included…1 code
- 3815Reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations n.e.c.…4 codes
Who ships under 3809?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 4 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section VI: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries, chapters 28–38.
HS Code 3809: common questions
What is HS code 3809?
It sits in Chapter 38, Section VI of the WCO Harmonized System.
What is the HS code for textile finishing agents and dye carriers?
Use 3809.91 for textile goods that have no starch base. If the product is starch-based, 3809.10 applies instead.
What is the difference between 3809.10 and 3809.91?
The split is the starch base. 3809.10 takes starch-based goods from any of these industries, while 3809.91 takes textile goods without it.
Which HS code covers finishing agents for paper or leather?
Paper goods go under 3809.92. Leather goods, and those for similar trades that are not paper or textile, go under 3809.93. Both need a product with no starch base.
Is the HS code for finishing agents the same in every country?
The first six digits are shared by countries that use the WCO system. Each country may add more digits for its own tariff, so confirm the national line.
How to confirm the correct HS code for finishing agents?
Check for a starch base, then match the end use to textile, paper or leather. You can also test your product description in the HS code classifier.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
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