U.S. imports of Cotton Sewing Thread, Put Up for Retail Sale (HS 520420) totaled $792K in August 2026, imported from 35 countries.
Importers of Cotton Sewing Thread, Put Up for Retail Sale paid $102K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.89% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Cotton Sewing Thread, Put Up for Retail Sale imports of $792K in August 2026 ran 18% above the year-to-date monthly average of $673K.
Last updated: August 2026 dataRetail-packaged cotton sewing thread — presented on small spools, cards, or blister packs configured for direct consumer sale — classifies under a single 10-digit line (5204200000) regardless of cotton content percentage, distinguishing it from the industrial bulk thread headings. India leads US imports under this heading, with Italy and Romania also significant sources. The retail-packaging criterion is the decisive classification factor: the same thread on an industrial cone would fall under 520411 or 520419 depending on cotton content, making packaging configuration a critical element of the entry documentation.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
137 import shipments a month
Each packaging configuration must be classified separately. The retail-packaged spools classify under 5204200000, while the industrial cones classify under 5204110000 or 5204190000 depending on cotton content percentage. The commercial invoice and packing list should clearly distinguish the two presentations by quantity and packaging type to support separate line-item classification on the entry.
Retail textile products sold in the US must comply with the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, which requires fiber content labeling, country-of-origin marking, and manufacturer or importer identification on consumer packaging. CBP enforces country-of-origin marking at entry, and the FTC enforces fiber content labeling in commerce. Importers should ensure that retail spool labels are compliant before the goods enter US commerce, as non-compliant labeling can result in detention or redelivery demands.
Subheading 1 of 3 in heading 5204
Subheading 520420 · $792K of $1.1M
ImportsExports
Imports
$792KYoY · free account
Exports
$33KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $8.2M of Cotton Sewing Thread, Put Up for Retail Sale and exported $612K.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
India and Netherlands together supply 65% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
duty collected equals 12.89% of imports for consumption.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5204200000 | Cotton Sewing Thread, For Retail Sale | $792K | 12.89% | 100.00% | $102K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 5204200000 | Cotton Sewing Thread, For Retail Sale | $33K |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Trade Directory
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