U.S. imports of Dimethyl Terephthalate (SITC 51384) totaled $197K in August 2026, imported from 3 countries.
Importers of Dimethyl Terephthalate paid $25K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.50% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Dimethyl Terephthalate imports of $197K in August 2026 ran 15% above the year-to-date monthly average of $171K.
Last updated: August 2026 dataDimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is one of two principal monomers used to produce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin and polyester fiber, competing commercially with purified terephthalic acid (PTA) depending on plant technology. Global capacity has shifted heavily toward PTA, making DMT a more specialized import with a narrower supplier base. Trade professionals should confirm that the contracted grade meets polymerization-grade purity specifications, as off-spec material can disrupt downstream fiber or bottle-resin production.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
5 import shipments a month
Both DMT and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) are monomers for PET, but they require different reactor technologies. DMT-based processes use methanol as a byproduct and are more common in older plants, while PTA-based processes dominate new capacity. Buyers should confirm which monomer their production facility is designed to process before sourcing.
Polymerization-grade DMT typically requires very high purity with tightly controlled levels of color bodies, acid value, and moisture. Importers should request a certificate of analysis for each lot and specify acceptable limits contractually, as even minor impurities can cause color defects or molecular-weight irregularities in finished PET.
Basic heading 432 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 51384 · $197K of $27.5B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
South Korea and Japan together supply 98% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$197KYoY · free account
Exports
$178KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $1.7M of Dimethyl Terephthalate and exported $2.2M.
Fewer than 6 of the last 12 months reported trade, or the latest month was under $500K; the trend chart is not shown for thin series.
Through August 2026 · exports 11 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.