U.S. exports of Coloring Matter & Coloring Preparations, N.E.S. (SITC 53317) totaled $44.0M in August 2026.
Importers of Coloring Matter & Coloring Preparations, N.E.S. paid $2.8M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 8.61% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Coloring Matter & Coloring Preparations, N.E.S. imports of $32.0M in August 2026 ran 18% above the year-to-date monthly average of $27.2M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataServing as a residual catch-all for coloring matter and preparations not elsewhere specified in the SITC schedule, this heading captures a heterogeneous range of pigments, dyes, and formulated colorant systems that do not fit neatly into the more specific inorganic or natural colorant categories. Products here may include carbon black preparations, mixed inorganic pigment blends, and specialty effect pigments such as pearlescent or metallic flake systems. The breadth of the heading means that classification disputes are common, and importers should be prepared to document composition and processing method to defend placement here versus a more specific heading.
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1.3K import shipments a month
Pearlescent pigments (mica coated with metal oxides), metallic effect pigments, carbon black preparations not classified as carbon black proper, and complex mixed-oxide pigments are among the most frequent occupants of this residual heading. Importers of effect pigments for automotive coatings or cosmetics should pay particular attention to whether a more specific HTS subheading applies at the 10-digit level before defaulting to the NES classification.
The importer should provide a detailed technical data sheet showing the product's chemical composition, manufacturing process, and primary function, along with evidence that no more specific heading applies. A binding ruling request to CBP before importation is the most reliable way to establish classification certainty for novel or complex colorant preparations, particularly those with multiple functional components.
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Exports · August 2026
destination
Mexico and Canada together take 57% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
origin
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
Basic heading 112 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 53317 · $44.0M of $26.2B
ImportsExports
Imports
$32.0MYoY · free account
Exports
$44.0MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $301.0M of Coloring Matter & Coloring Preparations, N.E.S. and exported $507.7M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.