WB Skinner provides expert Customs Brokerage services to importers of textile, apparel, rug and carpet, yarn, ribbon, thread and furs.

Because Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has designated the enforcement of textiles and apparel laws as a Priority Trade Issue (PTI), substantial resources are devoted to monitoring this sector.

In particular, importers of textiles and apparel who use trade preference programs should exercise due diligence to ensure that their imports meet all applicable requirements.

WB Skinner can help you understand which trade requirements are applicable to your particular imported textiles and help ease their way through the customs process.

Commercially imported textiles may be subject to quota and/or visa depending on the country of origin.  Importers and their customs brokers need to know the correct Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification number in order to determine the quota restrictions for a particular item. Determining country of origin for mixed products (e.g., blouses made in France from Vietnamese silk or Chinese sweaters made from New Zealand wool) can be very complicated.

Many customs brokers are unprepared or unequipped to provide correct advice regarding HTS classifications. WB Skinner fully understands complex classifications and can help you avoid unnecessary delays, cost run-ups, or possible seizure of your imported goods.

Textile regulations also often apply to Gift Category imports due to the fact that many components of gift items, especially textiles, ribbons and woven fabric imports, originate in countries in the Far East under the scrutiny of U.S. Department of Commerce anti-dumping regulations (when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value.) In these cases an anti-dumping duty may or may not be levied.

WB Skinner fully understands anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and can advise you whether any or all of your imports might be susceptible to these regulations.