HS Code for Clothes: Guide for International Trading

Clothing is one of the products with a persistent demand in international trade. Why is this? First, of course, because clothing is not always a tertiary need but a primary need, directly proportional to food. It protects the body from heat, cold, and rain, and is also worn to maintain modesty and serves as a social identity. School, work, and daily activities require clothing. Given this fact and the continuing upward trend in clothing in international trade, the Harmonized System Code (HS Code) is crucial for all actors involved in international trade. We will find out what the HS Code for clothes is, its classification, regulations, tariffs, and even the main players in the international clothing trade in this article.

HS Code for Clothes

First of all, we will learn about the HS Code.HS stands for Harmonized System. It is a system used to classify goods sold or purchased globally—international goods. This system is managed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Therefore, in short, the HS tariff Code for clothes is an international clothes classification code. This code is frequently requested by customs authorities in various countries to identify the types of clothes entering or leaving, in the context of international trade.

The HS Tariff Code for clothes consists of six digits, with the first two digits describing the chapter or broad category of the commodity. Then, combined with the following two digits, it becomes a four-digit code, describing the heading or main type of clothes within the broad category. The last two digits, called subheading, provide a more detailed description of the main type of clothes. However, countries involved in international trade have the freedom to add two to four digits to the HS Code to make it eight digits as a form of national classification.

The HS Tariff Code for clothes is used to determine import or export tariffs, facilitate international trade statistics, and simplify procedures for clothes entering or leaving a country. To avoid paying tariffs incorrectly, being held up at customs or being subject to sanctions, it is important for international trade actors, both exporters and importers, to know the correct HS code for clothes.

The Classification of HS Codes for Clothes

The HS Code for clothing can be accurately determined by understanding several key and important factors inherent in the garments to be traded internationally. These factors are as follows:

1. Knitted or Non-Knitted

In the case of clothing, international traders are required to understand the first two digits of the HS code, which has been internationally patented by the WCO:

• For knitted garments, the first two digits are 61xx.
• For non-knitted garments, the first two digits are 62xx.

2. Material Type

HS code also takes into account the primary material used to make the garment.

The primary material, such as cotton or wool.

A cotton T-shirt has a different HS code than a non-cotton T-shirt, or a knitted cotton coat has a different HS code than a knitted wool coat.

3.  Used Clothing

For used clothing, the HS code used has its own classification. For example, used clothing or other secondhand goods have HS code 6309.

However, in relation to this third factor, another factor that may arise or be considered is the country exporting or importing the clothing. Some countries may differ in their classification of used clothing. Some still classify worn clothing that is no longer new as new, so it cannot be included in the HS code for used clothing, as noted above.

In fact, there are also countries that prohibit the import of used clothing or require the inclusion of a hygiene certificate before these clothing products are shipped across countries.

4. Clothing Accessories

There are separate HS codes for accessories or clothing parts. For example, knitted clothing parts have HS code 6117.90.

5 Top Countries: International Clothing Trade

The latest global data from 2023-2024 (WTO and UNCTAD), lists the five top clothing exporting countries.

1. China

China is the main actor in international clothing exports. It controls nearly a third of the export market, with its flagship products being bulk clothing and fast fashion. China experienced a decline in market share. But, this did not affect its ranking as the dominant country in global clothing exports. This decline in market share indicates that other countries are beginning to catch up to the position of China as the strongest clothing producer.

2. Bangladesh

Number two is Bangladesh. This country occupies second position as the highest clothing exporter in the world. Although some of these things will certainly be challenges for Bangladesh, such as production costs that could increase in the future, changing tariff regulations from export destination countries, to competition from other countries to be able to occupy its position.

3. Vietnam

This country has demonstrated the fastest growth among other exporting countries. This is due to Vietnam’s efficiency efforts and trade cooperation with the U.S. and the European Union.

4. Turkey

Turkey is in fourth place. Its international clothing trade focuses on the European market. This happens because Turkey is close to Europe, so it can deliver clothes faster. To stay competitive, Turkey needs to control costs, quality, and production flexibility.

5. India

In fifth place is India. India’s advantages in extensive production capacity, its own raw materials, and a large workforce enable it to compete with the previous four countries in exporting clothing to many developed countries. To increase efficiency to expand market share, India needs to control high logistics costs, tariffs in destination countries, and the need.

Country	Export value (million USD)	Share (%)
China	165.24	29.64
Bangladesh	38.48	6.90
Vietnam	33.94	6.09
Turkey	17.91	3.21
India	16.36	2.94

Source: World Trade Organization (WTO), accessed October 30, 2025. 

Some countries that import clothes from the 5 countries above, such as the European Union, the United States., Japan, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. 

Country	Import value (million USD)	Share (%)
European Union	210.52	34.30
United States	92.07	15.00
Japan	24.67	4.02
United Kingdom	20.80	3.39
South Korea	13.16	2.14

Source: World Trade Organization (WTO), accessed October 30, 2025. 

How to find the HS code for clothes using HS Code Match

It is important to know the correct HS Code for clothes to avoid several risks in the international trade system. We need to learn how to find, determine, and set the HS Tariff Code for clothes. Follow these steps.

• First step: Use an external site like hscodematch.com  or another official search engine to find the HS Code for clothes.

• Second step: Describe the clothes in detail to accurately classify the HS Code for clothes or the HS Tariff Code for clothes. These details include: knitted or non-knitted, the type of primary material, and the type or function of clothing is also included.

Then, set the country of origin (exporter) and destination (importer) → click the search symbol. The example below is a cotton coat knitted in China for Germany. An additional note that we need to pay attention to when describing clothes is to be careful about special exceptions, such as used clothes.

• Third Step: Several results will appear. Select the HS Code for clothes with the highest match rate. Keep in mind that the international HS Tariff Code standard is only 6 digits. The remaining two digits are simply the national code for the country of destination, in this case, Germany.

• Fourth Step: Ensure the code matches the destination country, keeping in mind that each country is allowed by the WCO to add two to four digits as a special national code.

Then, check one of the lists to check the details of the HS code and tariff rate.
Below, you can see the HS code description in HS Code Match based on the latest government regulations. 

• Fifth Step: We can use the chatbot feature provided by the third-party website from Jureem called HS Code Match (hscodematch.com) to overcome some of the obstacles or confusion in finding the correct HS code for clothing.

If the garments being traded are highly complex, for example, the presence of additional parts or accessories, the combination of main materials used, different definitions of used or usable goods in the importing country, or even other special uses, then choosing the subscription feature on this third-party application, in this case Jureem, can be a solution to minimize the risk of errors in determining the correct HS code for clothes. 

These are examples of the AI chatbot answers on HS Code Match about exporting a cotton coat knitted from China to Germany.
First question: What is the correct HS code for a worn or used coat from China to Germany?
Answer: For worn or used coats, the HS code used cannot be the same as a new coat with the first two digits 61 or 62. Worn or used coats have an HS code in chapter 63. This classification is regulated by the WCO and is independent of the country of origin or destination. Therefore, a used coat from China to Germany is not under HS Code 6101, but rather HS Code 6309.
Second question: Are there any restrictions on importing worn clothing into Germany?
Answer: There are no restrictions on the import of used clothing into Germany. However, these restrictions apply to new clothing, not used clothing. The restrictions focus solely on the origin of the goods and the equipment used, not the condition in which the clothing was worn.
Third question: Does Germany Have Environmental Regulations Affecting Used Clothing Imports?
Answer: Germany and other European Union countries do have environmental and consumer protection regulations. However, these regulations are not directed at imports of worn or used clothing. Their primary focus is on restricting the production of textiles and clothing using materials such as coated, impregnated, or laminated fabrics, which could negatively impact consumer health or safety.

Some Important Points

Regarding HS Codes for Clothing Around the World:

• Countries like Mexico and the US are raising import tariffs on clothing, particularly from China and Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to trade agreements or trade regulations of importing countries regularly to avoid mistakes or even gain benefits (can take advantage of preferential tariffs if exporting to FTA partner countries).
• The WCO is updating the HS Codes for used clothing and recycled textiles to reflect the rapidly growing trend towards environmental friendliness. Therefore, international trade actors in the clothing sector need to constantly monitor all official updates.
• The final important point, international trade actors need to save the correct HS code for the traded products, in this case clothing, for future purposes related to inspections with customs authorities.

Conclusion

This article on “HS Code for clothes” goes beyond simply explaining the general meaning of the HS Code for clothes in international trade. It also highlights the detailed classification of clothing to be traded or exported abroad to obtain the correct HS code. This avoids risky errors such as incorrect tariffs, being held up at customs, or being subject to sanctions. The HS Code for clothes is important for exporting countries, which are predominantly developing nations. Meanwhile, the importers are dominated by developed countries due to low production costs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who provides the HS Code? 

The HS Code is an international goods classification code, managed by the
World Customs Organization (WCO).

2. How many digits are there in the HS Code for clothes?

The HS Tariff Code for clothes consists of six digits, with the first two digits describing the chapter, combined with the following two digits, combined, form a four-digit code, describing the heading. The final two digits, called the subheading.

3. Is the HS Code for Clothes the same for every country?

Yes and no. The first six digits are the same as the WCO standard. However, the next two to four digits may vary from country to country.

4. Why is it Important to know the HS Code for Clothes?

The HS code for clothes is important for international trade actors because it can avoid paying tariffs incorrectly, being held up at customs, or being subject to sanctions

5. What is the most important classification in determining the correct HS Code for clothes?

The first two digits of the HS code, which has been internationally patented by the WCO, the first two digits are 61xx for knitted garments, and the first two digits are 62xx for non-knitted garments.

6. Who are the top 5 countries that export the most clothing in the world?

The 5 largest exporting countries are China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey, and India, with some countries that import clothes from the 5 countries above, such as the European Union, the U.S., Japan, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.

7. Is there a quick way to find the HS Code for clothes?

Use external sites like hscodematch.com  → describe your product in detail → pay attention to the country of origin and destination by also looking at the national regulations that apply in that country.