4205.00.20.00 - Shoelaces

This HTS subheading, 4205.00.20.00, specifically designates shoelaces. These are flexible cords, typically made from textile materials like cotton, polyester, or nylon, designed to fasten footwear through eyelets. The function of these articles is exclusively to secure shoes onto the wearer's feet.

Within the broader category of "Other articles of leather or of composition leather," shoelaces are distinguished from their sibling category, 4205.00.40.00, which covers "straps and strops." While both may be flexible and cord-like, straps and strops generally serve purposes such as carrying, securing, or attaching other items, and may be constructed from materials beyond those typically used for shoelaces, including leather or composition leather in their own right. The primary distinguishing factor is the intended use: shoelaces are exclusively for footwear, whereas straps and strops have a broader functional scope.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification, there are no further subcategories. Classification within 4205.00.20.00 is therefore definitive for articles meeting the description of shoelaces, based on their material composition and dedicated function in fastening footwear.