5301.30.00.00 - Flax tow and waste

This HTS classification covers flax tow and waste. Flax tow refers to the short, coarse fibers that remain after hackling or scutching flax. Flax waste encompasses byproducts generated during the processing of flax, including yarn waste (e.g., from spinning operations) and garnetted stock, which are fibers recovered from waste materials and prepared for re-use in textile manufacturing. These materials are characterized by their short staple length and are typically not suitable for direct spinning into fine yarns without further processing or blending.

In contrast to its sibling category, 5301.10.00.00, which covers raw or retted flax, this classification specifically deals with processed but unspon flax fibers that are considered byproducts or waste. The other sibling category, "Flax, broken, scutched, hackled or otherwise processed, but not spun," would generally include longer, more refined flax fibers that are intended for spinning, whereas 5301.30.00.00 focuses on the shorter, less refined, and often residual materials.

As a leaf node, this category does not have further subcategories. Classification within 5301.30.00.00 is determined by the presence of flax material that has been subjected to some form of processing beyond initial retting or breaking, but which, due to its fibrous characteristics or origin as waste, is not classified as usable spun yarn or ready-to-spin fiber. The key differentiating factor is the nature of the material as residual or waste from flax processing, not as a primary fiber for direct spinning.