5602.10 - Needleloom felt and stitchbonded fiber fabrics:

This HTS category, 5602.10, specifically classifies needleloom felt and stitchbonded fiber fabrics. These are distinct textile constructions created through mechanical interlacing of fibers, rather than by weaving or knitting. Needleloom felt involves passing barbed needles through a web of fibers, entangling them to form a fabric. Stitchbonded fabrics are created by mechanically stitching together fiber webs, often with yarns, to form a cohesive material. The key characteristic is the use of needling or stitching to achieve fabric integrity.

Unlike "Other felt, not impregnated, coated, covered or laminated" (which would encompass felts made by other processes or those not modified), 5602.10 focuses on the specific manufacturing techniques of needleloom and stitchbonding. It also differs from "Other" categories within 5602, which are reserved for any remaining felt articles not fitting the more specific classifications.

Within this category, further distinctions are made to refine classification. Subcategory 5602.10.10.00 addresses laminated fabrics, indicating that the needleloom felt or stitchbonded fabric has been combined with another material, such as plastic sheeting or another textile layer, through bonding or adhesion. The subcategory 5602.10.90 covers all other needleloom felt and stitchbonded fiber fabrics that do not meet the criteria for lamination, encompassing the broader range of these specialized textile constructions.