5101.21 - Shorn wool:

This HTS category, 5101.21, specifically covers shorn wool that has undergone a degreasing process but has not yet been carbonized. Degreasing removes natural grease and suint from the wool fibers, making them suitable for further processing. This classification applies to wool in its raw, shorn state, where the primary treatment has been the removal of these natural impurities.

This category is distinguished from its sibling, 5101.29, which encompasses other degreased wool that is not carbonized but does not fit the specific criteria of 5101.21. The distinction hinges on the extent of processing beyond degreasing. 5101.21 is reserved for wool that is only degreased and not subjected to any other treatment that alters its physical characteristics beyond the removal of grease.

The subcategories under 5101.21 further refine the classification based on the degree of post-degreasing processing. The first subcategory, "Not processed in any manner beyond the degreased condition," identifies wool that has received no further treatment. The second subcategory, "Other," would encompass degreased wool that has undergone minor processing steps not significant enough to classify it under a carbonized category, but beyond simply being degreased.