Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Industrial & Commercial Sewing Machines (SITC 72435) totaled $4.8M in August 2026, imported from 33 countries.
Importers of Industrial & Commercial Sewing Machines paid $658K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 13.54% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Industrial & Commercial Sewing Machines imports of $4.8M in August 2026 ran 24% below the year-to-date monthly average of $6.2M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSewing machines built for industrial, commercial, or tailoring applications — including lockstitch, chainstitch, overlock, and specialized machines for leather, denim, or technical textiles — are classified here, separate from household units. These machines are essential capital equipment for apparel manufacturers, footwear producers, and technical-textile fabricators, and their classification often turns on demonstrated production capacity and construction rather than the buyer's identity. Section 301 tariffs apply to imports from China, the leading global producer of both standard and specialized industrial sewing equipment, making origin diversification to Vietnam, Japan, or other suppliers an active consideration for US apparel-sector buyers.
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228 import shipments a month
Classification as industrial typically requires evidence of high-duty-cycle design: heavy-duty frames, high-speed motors rated for continuous operation, specialized feed mechanisms for thick or technical materials, and the absence of consumer-oriented decorative features. Technical specifications from the manufacturer and the machine's rated stitch speed are the primary documentation CBP considers.
Importers should obtain a detailed technical specification sheet for each model to support classification, verify the country of origin for Section 301 applicability, and confirm that any claimed substantial transformation in a third country meets CBP's origin rules. Maintaining a classification ruling or binding ruling request for novel machine types can reduce post-entry audit risk.
Basic heading 484 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 72435 · $4.8M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Vietnam and China together supply 56% of it. China pays 22.4% duty; Japan 8.2%.
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
$4.8MYoY · free account
Exports
$5.7MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $69.3M of Industrial & Commercial Sewing Machines.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.