6404.11.20 - Having uppers of which over 50 percent of the external surface area (including any leather accessories or reinforcements such as those mentioned in note 4(a) to this chapter) is leather

This HTS classification covers specific types of footwear designed for athletic or recreational use, often referred to as "sports footwear." The defining characteristics for this category include having outer soles made from rubber, plastics, leather, or composition leather. Crucially, the uppers of these shoes must be predominantly constructed from textile materials, constituting over 50 percent of their external surface area. This designation specifically includes items like tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, and training shoes, where performance and comfort during physical activity are primary considerations.

This category is distinguished from its sibling, "Other," which would encompass sports footwear not meeting the specific material composition criteria for textile uppers. Therefore, any sports footwear with uppers made primarily of materials other than textiles, such as leather or synthetic leather (where textile is not the dominant component), would fall into a different classification. The emphasis here is on the textile nature of the upper, paired with the specified sole materials, to identify true sports footwear.

Within this classification, further subdivisions exist to refine the scope based on the intended wearer. The subcategories are 6404.11.20.30 for men's footwear, 6404.11.20.60 for women's footwear, and 6404.11.20.71 for "Other" (which typically would refer to children's or unisex sizes not explicitly covered by the men's or women's designations). These distinctions allow for more granular tracking and statistical reporting of imported sports footwear.