HTS 5601210010 covers wadding in the piece — essentially bulk rolls or sheets of cotton batting — while 5601210090 captures finished or cut articles made from that wadding, such as pre-cut pads or stuffing components. The distinction matters because some trade-remedy or quota treatments can apply differently depending on the form of the product at time of importation.

Cotton wadding intended for wound care, surgical dressings, or direct patient contact may be regulated as a medical device or drug-contact material under FDA jurisdiction. Importers should confirm the intended end use before entry; purely industrial or craft-use wadding typically clears without FDA involvement, but medical-grade product requires prior FDA registration of the foreign establishment and may be subject to port-of-entry examination.