Importers must provide a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country's national plant protection organization to satisfy USDA APHIS border requirements. Additionally, because Cannabis sativa is a controlled substance under federal law, importers should carry documentation confirming the variety is industrial hemp (THC content at or below the applicable legal threshold) and that the shipment complies with DEA import requirements. Consulting a licensed customs broker with experience in agricultural fiber imports is strongly advisable given the overlapping regulatory frameworks.

Water-retted hemp typically yields finer, lighter-colored fiber with better spinning characteristics for textile applications, while dew-retted fiber tends to be coarser and darker, more suited to rope, geotextile, or composite uses. Buyers specifying hemp for apparel or fine textile applications should request the retting method from the supplier, as it affects fiber fineness, color, and the degree of further processing required before spinning.