The construction method — woven vs. knit — determines the heading. Woven cotton briefs (fabric made by interlacing warp and weft yarns on a loom) fall under heading 620711, while knit cotton briefs (fabric made by interlocking loops of yarn) are classified under heading 6107. Importers should obtain fabric construction specifications from their suppliers, as the distinction is not always obvious from the finished garment and is a common point of customs scrutiny.

The high concentration of woven cotton brief production in a small number of countries does create exposure to supply disruptions from labor actions, port congestion, or trade policy changes. Importers relying heavily on any single origin should consider maintaining relationships with alternative suppliers and monitoring trade remedy developments, particularly given ongoing Section 301 considerations for Chinese-origin goods and potential safeguard actions in other markets.