HS Code 5503Synthetic staple fibres, not carded, combed or otherwise processed for spinning

What HS code 5503 covers

Staple fibres are short lengths of fibre, not one endless strand. Synthetic means made from chemicals. It does not mean grown on a farm or made from wood pulp. Goods in this heading are still loose and raw. A spinning mill has not yet opened, cleaned or aligned them.

Some traders call this an HSN code. It is the same Harmonized System classification, just used under another name in some markets. The heading is part of man-made staple fibres, inside the textiles section of the system.

Nylon, polyester and acrylic fibers: HS 5503 subheadings

Each six-digit subheading names one kind of polymer. Pick by polymer first. Aramids are split off from other nylon-type fibres, so check for an aramid before you choose the nylon line. A fibre that fits none of the named polymers goes to the catch-all line at the end.

Countries add more digits after the six-digit code to build their own national lines. The first six digits of a national code must match one of the subheadings below. If they start with other digits, the goods are not under this heading. Duty rates are set nationally, so check your national tariff for them. We do not show rates here.

• 550311 Aramid
• 550319 Nylon and other polyamides (not aramid)
• 550320 Polyester
• 550330 Acrylic and modacrylic
• 550340 Polypropylene
• 550390 Other synthetic materials

5503 vs nearby headings: how to classify synthetic staple fibres

Most mix-ups happen with the headings next door. A few simple questions settle the common cases.

Compare with 5506 first. Both cover synthetic staple fibres, but the stage of the fibre decides. Once the fibre has been prepared for spinning, it moves to 5506. Raw fibre stays here.

Compare with 5504 next. Here the fibre type decides. This heading is for synthetic fibre. 5504 is for artificial fibre.

Other neighbours are easy to confuse too. 5501 is synthetic filament tow, which is long continuous filament, not short staple. 5509 is yarn made from synthetic staple fibres, which is what the fibre becomes after spinning.

If your goods still do not fit, try the HS code classifier.

Find importers, exporters and shipment records

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. To start from a market, open the import data or export data pages. To start from a company, use the buyer data or supplier data pages.

Other headings in Chapter 55

Use the links below to compare neighbouring headings, return to the chapter overview, or browse every HS code chapter.