5303.10.00.00 - Jute and other textile bast fibers, raw or retted

This HTS category, 5303.10.00.00, specifically covers jute and other textile bast fibers that are in a raw or retted state. "Raw" signifies the fibers as harvested, while "retted" refers to the process of soaking and decomposing plant material to separate the fibers. This classification is intended for these fibers before they have undergone any spinning or further processing into yarn. Examples of fibers falling under this classification include raw jute, raw ramie, and other similar unprocessed bast fibers.

It is important to distinguish this subcategory from its sibling, 5303.90.00.00, which covers "Other" jute and textile bast fibers. While 5303.10.00.00 focuses exclusively on the raw or retted state, the "Other" category encompasses any jute or textile bast fibers that have been processed beyond retting but have not yet been spun into yarn, such as scutched fibers or sliver. It also includes tow and waste of these fibers.

As this HTS code is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. Therefore, the focus for classification within 5303.10.00.00 is on accurately identifying the material as jute or another textile bast fiber and confirming its state as either raw or having undergone only the retting process, prior to any spinning operations. The absence of further subdivisions means that all qualifying raw or retted bast fibers are directly classified here.