5601.30.00.00 - Textile flock and dust and mill neps 🖩

This HTS classification, 5601.30.00.00, specifically covers textile flock, dust, and mill neps. Textile flock refers to very short textile fibers, typically not exceeding 5 millimeters in length, which are often generated as a byproduct of textile manufacturing or intentionally produced for specific applications. Textile dust and mill neps represent residual fine fibers and small, tangled fiber masses that result from processing raw textile materials. These materials are generally not intended for direct use in garments or finished textiles but may be utilized in insulation, stuffing, or as raw material for further processing into other textile products.

Distinguishing this category from its sibling, 5601.2, which covers wadding of textile materials, is crucial. While both originate from textile fibers, 5601.2 pertains to thicker, batt-like structures formed by carding or garnetting fibers. In contrast, 5601.30.00.00 focuses on the finer, more fragmented forms of textile fibers, their airborne particles, and small imperfections. The physical form and intended use are key differentiators: wadding is generally a cohesive mass, whereas flock, dust, and neps are more granular or powdery.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Classification under 5601.30.00.00 is determined by the material being recognizable as textile fibers in a very short, fragmented, or particulate state, and not conforming to the characteristics of wadding or more developed textile structures. The presence of any binders or adhesives would typically necessitate re-evaluation and potential classification under a different heading depending on the nature of the final product.