U.S. exports of Finishing Agents, Dye Carriers & Dressings for Textile, Paper & Leather Industries (SITC 59891) totaled $30.0M in August 2026.
Importers of Finishing Agents, Dye Carriers & Dressings for Textile, Paper & Leather Industries paid $562K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 3.37% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataTextile finishing agents, dye carriers, sizing preparations, and leather dressings are specialty chemical formulations that impart functional properties — wrinkle resistance, water repellency, softness, or color fastness — to fibers, paper, and hides during manufacturing. These products are tightly integrated into mill-level production processes, and formulation changes require extensive re-qualification by end users, creating sticky supplier relationships. TSCA certification is required at US entry for chemical preparations not otherwise exempt, and certain fluorinated finishing agents (PFAS-based) face increasing regulatory scrutiny from EPA.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
1.4K import shipments a month
EPA has been progressively restricting certain long-chain PFAS compounds used in durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes under TSCA authority, and some formulations have been phased out under voluntary agreements or significant new use rules (SNURs). Importers of fluorinated finishing agents should verify that the specific chemistry is not subject to a SNUR or enforcement action before shipment.
When a dye carrier is sold as a distinct preparation separate from the dye itself, it is classifiable under the finishing agents heading. If it is pre-mixed with a dye into a single formulation, the combined product may be classified as a dye preparation rather than a finishing agent. The commercial presentation and the primary function of the imported preparation are the key classification determinants.
Basic heading 145 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 59891 · $30.0M of $26.2B
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.
Exports · August 2026
destination
Canada and Mexico together take 62% 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.
ImportsExports
Imports
$16.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$30.0MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $194.3M of Finishing Agents, Dye Carriers & Dressings for Textile, Paper & Leather Industries and exported $353.6M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.