5703.39.10.00 - Hand-hooked, that is, in which the tufts were inserted by hand or by means of a hand tool (665)

This HTS category, 5703.39.10.00, specifically classifies hand-hooked carpets and other textile floor coverings that are tufted. The defining characteristic of this subcategory is the method of tuft insertion: either manually by hand or with the assistance of a hand tool. This process creates loops or cut piles that form the surface of the floor covering. The materials used in the construction of these floor coverings are limited to "other man-made textile materials," which would exclude natural fibers like wool or cotton, as well as specific synthetic fibers covered elsewhere.

This classification is distinguished from its sibling, 5703.39.20, which encompasses "other" tufted carpets and floor coverings made of other man-made textile materials where the tufts are not inserted by hand or hand tool. This implies that sibling category 5703.39.20 would cover machine-tufted items or those with different tufting mechanisms. The term "hand-hooked" is crucial here, indicating a deliberate manual operation in the creation of the tufted pattern, as opposed to automated or industrial processes.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subcategories. Therefore, the classification is complete at this level, focusing on the precise method of tuft insertion by hand or hand tool for carpets and floor coverings constructed from unspecified "other man-made textile materials." Practical application involves verifying the construction method to ensure it meets the "hand-hooked" criteria and that the materials align with "other man-made textile materials" as defined within the broader HTS framework.