5901 - Textile fabrics coated with gum or amylaceous substances, of a kind used for the outer covers of books or the like; tracing cloth; prepared painting canvas; buckram and similar stiffened textile fabrics of a kind used for hat foundations:

This HTS category, 5901, encompasses specialized textile fabrics that have undergone treatment with gum or amylaceous substances to impart stiffness or other properties. These fabrics are specifically designed for applications such as outer covers for books, tracing, preparing canvas for painting, and as buckram or similar stiffened materials used in hat foundations. The key characteristic is the functional stiffening or coating applied to the textile material, altering its inherent properties for a particular end-use.

When considering this category in relation to its siblings at the HTS database root, it's crucial to note that 5901 is firmly situated within Section XI, "Textile and Textile Articles." Unlike categories in earlier sections that might deal with live animals, agricultural products, or mineral substances, 5901's focus is exclusively on treated textile fabrics. Its immediate sibling categories would represent entirely different classes of goods, such as foodstuffs, chemicals, or machinery, making direct comparison for classification purposes at this broad level less relevant than understanding its placement within the textile chapter.

Chapter 59, where 5901 resides, specifically addresses "Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use." Within this chapter, 5901 is distinguished from other categories by its specific types of treatments (gum or amylaceous substances) and its intended applications. The subcategories within 5901, namely 5901.10 and 5901.90, further refine the classification based on whether the fabric is intended for book covers or other similar uses (5901.10) or falls into a broader "other" category for different stiffened textile applications (5901.90). This subdivision allows for more precise tariff application based on the primary function of the treated fabric.