5108 - Yarn of fine animal hair (carded or combed), not put up for retail sale:

HTS code 5108 encompasses yarns specifically manufactured from fine animal hair, such as cashmere, alpaca, mohair, and angora. These yarns are presented in a carded or combed state, indicating they have undergone processes to align the fibers, making them suitable for further manufacturing into textiles. Crucially, these yarns are not packaged for direct sale to consumers but are intended for wholesale or industrial use.

This category is distinct from other HTS sections that might deal with raw animal hair (Chapter 51), finished textile articles (later chapters), or yarns made from different materials like sheep's wool (also Chapter 51 but distinct codes) or synthetic fibers. Its focus is exclusively on the processed yarn of *fine* animal hair, excluding coarse animal hair or horsehair yarns. The "not put up for retail sale" stipulation is a key differentiator, separating it from consumer-ready textile products.

Within HTS 5108, two primary subcategories exist to further refine classification based on the processing applied to the fine animal hair. Subcategory 5108.10 covers yarns that have been carded, a process that disentangles and aligns fibers to create a sliver, often resulting in a softer, loftier yarn. Subcategory 5108.20 covers yarns that have undergone combing, a more rigorous process than carding, which removes shorter fibers and further aligns the longer ones, yielding a smoother, stronger, and more lustrous yarn.