U.S. imports of Cotton & Natural Fibers (End-Use 12000) totaled $4.5M in August 2026, imported from 61 countries.
Importers of Cotton & Natural Fibers paid $400K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 8.88% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Cotton & Natural Fibers imports of $4.5M in August 2026 ran 15% below the year-to-date monthly average of $5.3M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataRaw cotton and other natural plant-based fibers imported into the US serve the domestic textile and nonwoven manufacturing sectors, with cotton subject to a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system that sets lower in-quota duty rates up to a specified volume and higher over-quota rates above it. Classification between upland and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton varieties affects both the applicable TRQ and the duty rate, making fiber specification a critical step in entry preparation. Importers should also note that cotton and natural fiber shipments may be subject to USDA APHIS phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction of plant pests.
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361 import shipments a month
End-Use codes describe different products on the import and export sides. Cross-direction exports are not shown for this slug.
The US maintains TRQs for cotton that allow a specified quantity to enter at a reduced in-quota duty rate; imports above that threshold face a significantly higher over-quota rate. Quota allocations are administered on a first-come, first-served basis or through country-specific allocations depending on the TRQ, and timing of entry filing relative to quota fill levels is a key logistics consideration.
USDA APHIS requires that raw cotton imports meet phytosanitary standards to prevent the introduction of boll weevil and other plant pests. Depending on the country of origin, shipments may need to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country's national plant protection organization, and APHIS may require treatment or inspection at the port of entry.
Commodity 50 of 51 in category 1
Commodity 12000 · $4.5M of $63.1B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
India and Sri Lanka together supply 57% of it. New Zealand pays 12.5% duty; Belgium <0.1%.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
Imports
Imports
$4.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $63.7M of Cotton & Natural Fibers.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.