U.S. imports of Pigments and Preparations Based on Synthetic Organic Colorants (SITC 53117) totaled $39.0M in August 2026, imported from 36 countries.
Importers of Pigments and Preparations Based on Synthetic Organic Colorants paid $6.3M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 15.98% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Pigments and Preparations Based on Synthetic Organic Colorants imports of $39.0M in August 2026 ran 23% above the year-to-date monthly average of $31.8M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSynthetic organic pigments — including phthalocyanine blues and greens, azo pigments, and quinacridones — are insoluble colorants dispersed rather than dissolved in their substrate, giving them broad utility across printing inks, paints, plastics, and coatings. Unlike dyes, they do not bond chemically to a substrate, so particle size, surface treatment, and dispersibility are the primary performance variables that differentiate commercial grades. Preparations under this heading often incorporate dispersants, wetting agents, or resin carriers that are integral to end-use performance, and the proportion of such additives relative to the pigment substance is a recurring classification issue at the heading boundary.
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1.1K import shipments a month
Pigment preparations under this heading are intermediate products — concentrated dispersions or masterbatches intended for further processing — rather than finished paints or inks ready for end use. Once a pigment preparation is formulated into a product with a defined application medium (e.g., a printing ink vehicle or a paint binder), it typically moves to a different heading covering paints, varnishes, or printing inks. The key test is whether the product is a colorant input or a finished coating/ink.
The primary demand sectors are printing inks (packaging and publication), architectural and industrial coatings, plastics compounding, and automotive coatings. Each sector has distinct particle-size and surface-treatment specifications, so pigment preparations are often highly customized to the buyer's dispersion equipment and resin system, making supplier qualification a significant barrier to switching.
Basic heading 105 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 53117 · $39.0M of $27.5B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
India and Germany together supply 55% of it. China pays 42.4% duty; Mexico 1.9%.
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
$39.0MYoY · free account
Exports
$21.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $348.8M of Pigments and Preparations Based on Synthetic Organic Colorants and exported $213.6M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.