5911.32.00 - Weighing 650 g/m2 or more

This HTS category, 5911.32.00, specifically covers textile fabrics and felts, whether endless or fitted with linking devices, that are designed for industrial use in papermaking or similar machinery. A key defining characteristic for this sub-heading is the weight of the fabric, which must be 650 grams per square meter (g/m²) or more. These heavier-duty textiles are engineered to withstand the demanding conditions of paper production, including exposure to moisture, chemicals, and significant mechanical stress.

This category is distinguished from its sibling, 5911.31.00, solely by the weight of the textile. While both subheadings pertain to fabrics for papermaking machinery, 5911.31.00 applies to those weighing *less than* 650 g/m². Therefore, the physical characteristic of weight is the critical factor in determining the correct classification between these two closely related categories.

Within 5911.32.00, further subdivisions exist to account for the specific functions and types of these heavy textile articles. The subcategories include "Press felts," which are used in the pressing sections of paper machines to remove water; "Dryer felts and dryer fabrics," employed in the drying sections to facilitate heat transfer; and "Paper-forming fabrics," which are integral to the initial formation of the paper sheet. An "Other" category exists to capture any remaining fabrics that meet the weight criteria and are intended for papermaking or similar industrial applications but do not fit precisely into the more specific subdivisions.