U.S. imports of Industrial Fatty Alcohols (SITC 51217) totaled $49.5M in August 2026, imported from 21 countries.
Importers of Industrial Fatty Alcohols paid $1.5M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 3.04% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Industrial Fatty Alcohols imports of $49.5M in August 2026 ran 81% above the year-to-date monthly average of $27.4M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataDerived primarily from natural fats and oils through hydrogenation of fatty acids or methyl esters, industrial fatty alcohols — including lauryl, cetyl, stearyl, and oleyl alcohols — are essential intermediates for surfactants, emulsifiers, lubricants, and personal care formulations. The feedstock origin (palm kernel oil, coconut oil, or petrochemical routes) significantly affects both cost structure and sustainability credentials, the latter increasingly scrutinized under corporate supply-chain due-diligence frameworks. Chain length and saturation profile are the key specification variables that determine which downstream application a given fatty alcohol grade serves.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
108 import shipments a month
Fatty alcohols produced from palm kernel or coconut oil (oleochemical route) and those from petrochemical feedstocks (Ziegler or oxo process) are chemically identical at a given chain length but differ in sustainability documentation requirements. Many buyers now require RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification or equivalent for bio-based grades, and this documentation should be requested from suppliers before contracting.
C12–C14 (lauryl/myristyl), C16–C18 (cetyl/stearyl), and C16–C18 blends are the highest-volume grades. C12–C14 alcohols are primarily used in surfactant synthesis, while C16–C18 grades serve emollient and emulsifier applications in personal care and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Buyers should specify chain-length distribution and iodine value to ensure grade conformance.
Basic heading 76 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 51217 · $49.5M of $27.5B
Trade Directory
List your company and tag the 6-digit products you trade, so the companies trading them can find you. Be the first supplier listed.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Indonesia and Malaysia together supply 76% of it. Netherlands pays 10.0% duty; South Africa 0.0%.
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
$49.5MYoY · free account
Exports
$26.6MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $324.8M of Industrial Fatty Alcohols and exported $363.5M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.