5911.31.00.10 - Press felts

This classification, HTS 5911.31.00.10, specifically covers "Press felts" designed for industrial use within papermaking or similar machinery. These are textile fabrics characterized by their specific weight, falling under the broader category of fabrics and felts that are endless or fitted with linking devices for use in such industrial processes. The defining characteristic here is the material's function as a press felt, typically used to remove water and press pulp during the manufacturing process.

Press felts are distinct from their sibling categories primarily by their intended application. While dryer felts (5911.31.00.20) are used in the drying section of paper machines to transport the paper web and facilitate drying, and paper-forming fabrics (5911.31.00.30) are employed in the initial stage to drain water and form the sheet, press felts are crucial for the dewatering and densification stages within the press section. The "Other" category (5911.31.00.80) encompasses any textile fabrics meeting the general criteria for industrial use in papermaking or similar machines but not specifically fitting the descriptions of press, dryer, or paper-forming felts.

As HTS 5911.31.00.10 is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. Classification within this code is determined by the product's explicit designation and functional use as a press felt in industrial machinery, adhering to the weight specification of less than 650 g/m². The material composition and construction of these felts are engineered to withstand the high pressures and moisture present in the pressing stages of manufacturing processes like papermaking.