U.S. imports of Patent Leather, Patent Laminated Leather & Metallized Leather (SITC 61183) totaled $96K in August 2026, imported from 15 countries.
Importers of Patent Leather, Patent Laminated Leather & Metallized Leather paid $9K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.25% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataA high-gloss lacquer coating applied to the grain surface defines patent leather and distinguishes it from all other finished leathers in trade classification — the coating, not the underlying hide species, is the determinative feature. Patent laminated leather adds a plastic film layer, while metallized leather achieves its reflective finish through metal foil or vacuum deposition. These surface-finished materials are primary inputs for dress footwear, handbags, belts, and fashion accessories, and their higher unit value relative to unfinished leather makes accurate valuation and classification especially important for duty assessment.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
22 import shipments a month
Patent leather is defined by its high-gloss lacquer or varnish coating applied to the grain surface, creating a mirror-like finish. Other finished leathers may be dyed, embossed, or buffed but lack this specific coating. The presence of the lacquer layer — or a bonded plastic film in the case of patent laminated leather — is the determinative classification criterion.
Metallized leather achieves its finish through the application of metallic foil or a vacuum-deposited metal layer rather than a lacquer coating. Both fall within this SITC heading, but they serve different end-use markets — metallized leather is more common in fashion accessories and novelty footwear, while patent leather dominates formal dress shoes and classic handbags. Importers should specify the finishing method on commercial documents to support accurate classification.
Basic heading 61183 · $96K of $27.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Italy and Mexico together supply 93% of it. China pays 37.3% duty; Mexico 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
$96KYoY · free account
Exports
—YoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $1.3M of Patent Leather, Patent Laminated Leather & Metallized Leather and exported $225K.
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 8 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.