6601 - Umbrellas and sun umbrellas (including walking-stick umbrellas, garden umbrellas and similar umbrellas):

This HTS category, 6601, encompasses a broad range of umbrellas designed for protection from rain or sun. It includes standard umbrellas used for personal weather protection, as well as larger structures like garden umbrellas and similar items. The defining characteristic is their collapsible frame, typically made of metal or plastic, covered with fabric, and designed to be opened and closed for portability or deployment. This category covers both the complete assembled articles and certain specific parts if imported separately and identifiable for umbrella construction.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings at the same level, which include live animals and a vast array of other manufactured goods, is straightforward. Category 6601 is specifically dedicated to articles of the umbrella type, differing significantly in material, function, and manufacturing process from products like live animals or other Sections of the HTS. Within Chapter 66, it is distinct from walking sticks, seatsticks, whips, and riding crops, which, while sharing some structural similarities (e.g., a shaft), serve entirely different purposes and lack the defining canopy mechanism.

Category 6601 is further subdivided to provide more granular classification. The primary subcategory, 6601.10.00.00, specifically addresses "Garden or similar umbrellas." This indicates a focus on larger, stationary or semi-permanent umbrella structures designed for outdoor spaces like patios or gardens. The residual "Other" subcategory captures all remaining types of umbrellas not meeting the specific criteria for garden umbrellas, encompassing the vast majority of portable rain and sun umbrellas.