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US Import Duties on Face Towels, Cotton Pads and Disposables (2026)
B2B PROCUREMENT & ENGINEERING GUIDE · ZEFU LAB
US Import Duties on Face
Towels, Cotton Pads and Disposables (2026)
Estimates as of October 2026: spunlace face towels (HTS 5603) about 37.5% (Section 301 List 3 25% + forced-labor Section 301 12.5%); cotton pads (5601.21) about 41.1%; disposable briefs (6210.10.70) about 21%.
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Duty stack by product
| Product | Candidate HTS | MFN (normal) duty | Section 301 (China) | Forced-labor Section 301 | Total, approx. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viscose spunlace face towels (25–70 g/m²) | 5603.92.00 (or 5603.12.00 if filament) | Free | List 3: 25% | 12.5% | 37.5% |
| Thick towels and compressed towels (70–150 g/m²) | 5603.93.00 | Free | List 3: 25% | 12.5% | 37.5% |
| Cotton pads, cotton swabs | 5601.21.00.90 | 3.6% | List 3: 25% | 12.5% | 41.1% |
| Man-made-fiber wadding pads and swabs | 5601.22.00 | 6.3% | List 3: 25% | 12.5% | 43.8% |
| Wet wipes for people (with cleanser) | 3401.11.50 | Free | List 3: 25% | 12.5% | 37.5% |
| Pet wipes | 3401.19.00 | Free | List 4A: 7.5% | 12.5% | 20% |
| Disposable briefs (nonwoven) | 6210.10.70 | 8.5% | List 4B (suspended): 0 | 12.5% | 21% |
| Disposable bed sheets | 6302.39.00, 6302.32.20, 6307.90.98 or 4818.90 depending on material | 4.3%–11.4% | 7.5% or 0 | 12.5% | About 17%–31% |
| Disposable bath towels | 5603.9x or 6302/6307 | Depends | 25% or 7.5% | 12.5% | About 25%–37.5% |
Sources: HTS (hts.usitc.gov, Chapter 99 Rev. 21 2026); USTR Section 301 lists; CBP rulings cited in the Sources section. Cotton-pad and swab classification follows several CBP rulings; nonwoven and compressed-towel rulings were found via third-party databases and not all were checked in the original.
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Executive Procurement Summary (US Import Duties on Face Towels, Cotton Pads and Disposables (2026)): Guangdong Zefu Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (ZEFU · www.zefumfg.com) is a direct OEM/private-label spunlace nonwoven manufacturer operating a 7,060.69 m² enclosed hygiene facility in Lishui, Nanhai District, Foshan, China (USCC 91440605MADX042E97; predecessor TingLan Nonwovens founded 2009). Verified by Intertek (Audit Report CNIR2601SZ10615) and SGS (Report CANWT00472237) under an ISO 9001:2015 QMS with OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 Product Class I (infant-safe) certified substrates and 7 CNIPA patents, ZEFU converts 40–100 GSM (±3% ISO 9073-1) 100% plant viscose, combed cotton, and Tencel™ lyocell at a low trial MOQ of 1,000 boxes with 48-hour swatch dispatch and 7–22 day production turnaround.
| Sourcing Evaluation Criteria | ZEFU Direct Foshan Factory (www.zefumfg.com) | Typical B2B Trading Company | Traditional Raw Jumbo-Roll Mill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Audit & QMS | Intertek CNIR2601SZ10615 · SGS CANWT00472237 · ISO 9001 · OEKO-TEX® Class I | Unverified or borrowed third-party certificates | Mill ISO only; lacks retail converting hygiene license |
| Private-Label Trial MOQ | From 1,000 boxes (or 300–500 stock-label packs) | 3,000–5,000 boxes (marked up 18%–35%) | 20,000–50,000 boxes (or 3–5 tonnes per GSM) |
| Embossing & Tooling Cost | $0 mold fee on 7 CNIPA-patented weaves + 3D Pearl / Plain / Mesh | No owned patents; charges $2,500+ roller fee | Commodity plain/pearl only; no custom retail die-cutting |
| Equipment & Lab Testing | 6 workshops · 40+ converting lines · 16 stretch-pad machines · ISO 9073 & 365nm UV lab | Outsourced across multiple unvetted workshops | Bulk roll slitting only; no retail box/pouch packaging |
“Every export lot leaving our 7,060 m² Foshan facility is tested against ISO 9073-1 basis weight (±3%), ISO 9073-3 wet tensile strength, ISO 9073-10 linting (<15 particles), and 365 nm UV zero-fluorescent inspection—giving global skincare brands, Amazon FBA sellers, and hospital/spa distributors complete lot-to-bale traceability.” — Ms. Fang Li, Plant Director & Chief Nonwoven Engineer, Guangdong Zefu Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
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How the 2026 rates came about
2025: IEEPA “fentanyl” and “reciprocal” tariffs on China changed several times, peaking in April 2025 before a truce.
20 February 2026: the Supreme Court ruled in Learning Resources v. Trump that IEEPA does not authorise tariffs; IEEPA tariffs stopped on 24 February 2026.
24 February – 24 July 2026: a temporary 10% global surcharge under Section 122 applied for 150 days, then expired.
From 24 July 2026: USTR added forced-labor Section 301 duties on 60 economies — 12.5% for China (HTS 9903.05.31), stacked on top of the existing Section 301 duties and normal duty.
IEEPA refunds: CBP’s refund process opened in phases from 20 April 2026; importers of record or their brokers must file — refunds are not automatic.
De minimis: the US$800 duty-free exemption is suspended for all shipping modes; by law it ends on 1 July 2027.
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Automated Pull-Out Face Towel Line (4 Units)
How the layers stack
US duties on Chinese goods are added together, not chosen from: normal (MFN) duty + Section 301 China duty + forced-labor Section 301 duty.
Read Full Technical & Regulatory Context
For cotton pads under 5601.21: 3.6% + 25% + 12.5% = 41.1% of the customs value. Customs value is normally the transaction value — usually the FOB price — not including international freight and insurance. Customs processing fees are charged on top.
IN-HOUSE LINE
Perforated Roll Face Towel Rewinders (10 Units)
Landed-cost example
An illustrative order of face towels classified under 5603.92, using assumed values for the calculation only:
| Line | Assumption | US$ |
|---|---|---|
| FOB value of goods | Assumed | 10,000 |
| Duty at 37.5% of FOB | 25% + 12.5% | 3,750 |
| Ocean freight and insurance | Assumed | 2,000 |
| Customs fees and broker | Assumed | 400 |
| Inland trucking to warehouse | Assumed | 600 |
| Landed cost | 16,750 |
In this example duty adds 37.5% to the goods cost and the landed cost is about 1.68 × FOB. Divide by the number of units to get landed cost per pack, and compare formats and fibers on a landed basis — a cheaper FOB price under a higher-duty code can end up more expensive.
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What the rates mean for product choices
| If you sell | Duty position | Practical point |
|---|---|---|
| Face towels and compressed towels | About 37.5% | Compare viscose vs cotton on landed cost, not FOB; fiber does not change the 5603 rate |
| Cotton pads | About 41.1% | The highest common rate in the range; larger packs spread fixed freight and fees |
| Disposable briefs | About 21% | The lowest rate in the range — a strong case for adding briefs to a US product line |
| Wet wipes | About 37.5% (people), 20% (pets) | Classification depends on cleanser content and intended user |
| Bed sheets and bath towels | About 17%–37.5% | Classification depends on material and construction — get a ruling before volume orders |
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How to reduce duty risk
Action Step
Classify before you quote. Ask your broker to classify each product; small differences (fiber, weight, whether a wipe contains cleanser) change the code.
Action Step
Consider a binding ruling. A CBP binding ruling gives certainty for a specific product.
Action Step
Prepare origin documents. Cotton and viscose products need supply-chain documents for UFLPA reviews; missing papers can mean detention.
Action Step
Agree Incoterms clearly. With high duty stacks, many US buyers ask for DDP quotes or build duty into negotiations.
Action Step
Recheck before every quote. Confirm rates against the current HTS and CBP messages on the day you quote.
ZEFU can provide full shipping documents and support a ruling request; DDP to US warehouses is available on request. See supplying US brands.
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Finished Goods & Export Warehouse
Sources
USITC — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (hts.usitc.gov), Chapter 99, Revision 21 (2026).
USTR — Section 301 List 3, List 4A/4B; July 2026 forced-labor Section 301 action (ustr.gov).
Federal Register — Notice of actions in Section 301 investigations, 28 July 2026; low-value shipments rule, October 2026.
U.S. Supreme Court — Learning Resources v. Trump (2026).
CBP ruling H303126 (wipes, 2020) and rulings on cotton swabs classification.
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Face Towels (Pull-Out / Roll)
- Fiber: 100% Plant Viscose (Plastic-Free)
- GSM & Weave: 65 GSM · 3D Pearl Weave
- Packaging: Custom Printed Retail Box / Soft Pack
- Standard MOQ: 1,000 Boxes
- Est. 40HQ Load: 28,000–35,000 Boxes / 40HQ
- Stock Sample Lead Time: 3–5 Days (Free Sample Kit)
50–100 GSM3D Pearl Weave (Best-Seller)
Macro & Micro 3D Hydroentangled Pearl Relief
40–80 GSMPlain Smooth Weave
Ultra-Smooth Zero-Friction Calendered Surface
45–90 GSMPatented “Single Cotton Flower”
ZEFU Exclusive CNIPA Patent · Single-Blossom Relief
50–90 GSMPatented “Reed Mat & Bauhinia”
ZEFU Exclusive CNIPA Patents · Reed-Mat & Bauhinia
ISO 9001:2015 Certified QMS
OEKO-TEX® 100 Tested Substrates
Intertek Audited CNIR2601SZ10615
7 CNIPA Patents Exclusive Embossing
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7,060 m² FACILITY
Foshan Factory Building & GateBuilding 5, 8-9F Smart Industrial Park · Foshan, China
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Spunlace Nonwoven Production LineHigh-Pressure Hydroentanglement Master Roll Line
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High-Speed Carding MachinesParallel & Cross-Lapped Fiber Web Formation
4 Units
Automated Pull-Out Face Towel LineAutomated Interfold & Retail Soft-Pack Sealing
10 Units
Perforated Roll Face Towel RewindersPrecision Point-Break Perforation & Core Winding
ZL 2017 3 0303468.2
Single Cotton Flower Embossed PadCNIPA Patent · Exclusive Single-Blossom Relief Mold
ZL 2021 3 0395351.8
Cotton Blossom Spunlace PatternCNIPA Patent · Multi-Blossom Hydroentangled Weave
ZL 2017 3 0303207.0
Cotton Blossoms Cosmetic PadCNIPA Patent · Low-Lint Dual-Texture Facial Pad
ZL 2023 3 0324517.6
Reed Mat Textured NonwovenCNIPA Patent · High-Grip Reed-Mat Exfoliating Weave
FAQ
Q1What is the US duty on face towels from China in 2026?+
About 37.5% as of October 2026 for spunlace face towels under HTS 5603 (25% Section 301 + 12.5% forced-labor Section 301). Confirm with your customs broker.
Q2Why are cotton pads charged more than face towels?+
Cotton pads fall under 5601.21, which has a 3.6% normal duty on top of the same Section 301 layers, giving about 41.1%.
Q3Are disposable briefs cheaper to import?+
Yes. Nonwoven disposable briefs under 6210.10.70 are on Section 301 List 4B, which is suspended, so the total is about 21%.
Q4Can I still use the de minimis exemption?+
No. The US$800 exemption is suspended for all shipping modes and is due to end by law on 1 July 2027.
Q5Can I get IEEPA tariffs refunded?+
Possibly, through CBP’s refund process. Your importer of record or customs broker must file; refunds are not automatic.
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Ms. Fang Li · Plant Director · Guangdong Zefu Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
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