6501.00 - Hat forms, hat bodies and hoods of felt, neither blocked to shape nor with made brims; plateaux and manchons (including slit manchons), of felt:

This HTS category, 6501.00, encompasses unfinished headwear components made from felt. Specifically, it includes hat forms, hat bodies, and hoods that have not yet been shaped or fitted with brims. It also covers felt plateaux and manchons, which are cylindrical felt materials used in hat manufacturing, including those that have been slit for further processing. The primary characteristic of goods falling under this heading is their unfinished nature and their base material being felt.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings at the HTS Database Root level is straightforward due to the vastly different nature of the goods. Unlike live animals, raw agricultural products, or manufactured goods from other chapters, 6501.00 is exclusively dedicated to semi-finished articles for headwear construction, specifically derived from felt. This focused scope ensures clear separation within the broader HTS system.

Within this category, further subdivisions exist to specify the type of felt used. The subcategories, such as "Of fur felt" and "Other," provide a more granular classification based on the material composition of the felt. This distinction is crucial for customs purposes, as different types of felt may have varying import duties or regulations associated with them. The "Other" category serves as a catch-all for felt forms not specifically falling under a fur felt classification.