HS Code 5202Cotton waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)
3 six-digit codes · Heading 2 of 12 in Chapter 52 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 5202 is the customs heading for cotton waste, the scraps and leftovers that come from working with cotton. This page shows how to tell its three subheadings apart.
“Cotton waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)” divides three ways under heading 5202 — 520210, 520291 and 520299. Each carries its own customs description, and the exact wording below is what a classification has to match. The heading is number 2 of 12 in Chapter 52, Cotton, which runs to 124 six-digit codes in all.
What is HS code 5202?
The Harmonized System sorts traded goods into numbered groups. Heading 5202 is the group for cotton that is left over. It is not a fibre ready for spinning, and it is not yarn or cloth.
Think of mills and spinning plants. They make scraps at many steps. Short fibres fall away, threads break, and loose stock piles up. Those scraps are traded, and customs needs one clear code for them. That code starts with 5202.
The heading is a good starting point for tariff classification work on scrap and by-product cotton. After you find it, you still need a six-digit subheading.
How to choose the right cotton waste subheading
Every shipment needs one six-digit code. Read the customs wording for each code and match it to your goods. Start with the most specific description and move to the most general one.
Here is how the three codes split:
- 520210: use it when the waste comes from yarn or thread. This is the code for cotton yarn waste.
- 520291: use it only for garnetted stock. This is stock made by tearing up rags or threads back into fibre.
- Check the first two codes before you use it.
What misclassification mistakes happen with cotton waste?
The most common error is putting yarn waste under 520299 because it looks like general scrap. The wording of 520210 names it directly, so the specific code wins.
A second error is treating waste as if it were useful fibre or yarn. If the goods can still be spun or used as yarn, they probably belong elsewhere. If you are unsure, describe your product in the HS code classifier and compare the answer with the wording above.
5202 vs nearby cotton headings
Heading 5201 holds cotton that has not been carded or combed. Both are fibre meant to be used. Waste is the part that is cast off.
Sewing thread has its own place in 5204. Spun cotton yarn is split across 5205, 5206 and 5207 by cotton content and by retail packing. Goods that are spun and usable belong in those headings. Scrap from making or handling cotton stays here.
HSN code 5202 and longer national codes
Many Indian traders say HSN for the same system, so the HSN code 5202 is the same heading. The first six digits are shared across countries.
Countries add extra digits for their own tariffs. Those longer codes still begin with 520210, 520291 or 520299. Find the six-digit code first, then check your own tariff for the rest.
Cotton waste importers and exporters in customs shipment records
EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo.
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.
Nearby headings in Chapter 52
- 5201Cotton; not carded or combed1 code
- 5203Cotton, carded or combed1 code
- 5204Cotton sewing thread, whether or not put up for retail sale3 codes
- 5205Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing 85% or more by weight of…24 codes
- 5206Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), containing less than 85% by weight of…20 codes
- 5207Cotton yarn (other than sewing thread), put up for retail sale2 codes
- 5208Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing…19 codes
- 5209Woven fabrics of cotton, containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing…16 codes
- 5210Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, mixed…11 codes
- 5211Woven fabrics of cotton, containing less than 85% by weight of cotton, mixed…14 codes
- 5212Other woven fabrics of cotton, n.e.c. in chapter 5210 codes
Who ships under 5202?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 3 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section XI: Textiles and Textile Articles, chapters 50–63.
HS Code 5202: common questions
What is HS code 5202?
Three six-digit codes sit below it.
What is the HS code for cotton yarn waste?
The code is 520210. Thread waste is covered by the same code.
What is the difference between HS 5202 and 5201 or 5203?
Heading 5202 is for waste. Headings 5201 and 5203 are for cotton fibre, before and after carding or combing.
Under which chapter does HSN code 5202 fall?
That chapter belongs to the textiles section.
Do national codes for cotton waste have more digits?
Often yes. A country can add digits for its own tariff, but the longer code starts with one of the three six-digit codes.
How can I find importers and exporters of cotton waste?
Start from the buyer data and supplier data pages, then search by this heading. The records show who ships the goods.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.