KK Fashion Exports

Fibre Content and US Duty: Why Polyester Dresses Pay 16%

As verified on 16 octombrie 2026, women’s polyester rochii imported into the United States from India pay a standard customs duty of 16%, bringing the total import duty to 26% when combined with the 10% Secțiune 301 additional duty. United States tariff schedules assign higher standard duty rates to synthetic fibres such as polyester than to natural fibres such as cotton, mătase, și lenjerie. There is no import VAT or GST levied on commercial garments imported into the United States.

Why fibre content drives the 16% duty on polyester dresses

Under United States customs regulations, customs duties on apparel depend on garment classification, construcție din țesătură (țesute sau tricotate), și compoziția fibrelor. Across all garment categories imported from India, standard duty rates span from 1.2% la 32%, with synthetic materials consistently categorised at the higher end of the baseline tariff scale.

Polyester is treated as a synthetic fibre, and both woven polyester dresses and knitted polyester dresses face a standard duty of 16%. When the 10% Secțiune 301 additional duty is added, the total duty payable on polyester dresses reaches 26%.

In contrast, natural fibres attract substantially lower standard duties. Woven cotton dresses incur an 8.4% taxă standard (18.4% total), while knitted cotton dresses pay an 11.5% taxă standard (21.5% total). Woven silk dresses and woven linen dresses each incur a standard duty of 6.9%, resulting in a total duty of 16.9%.

Artificial cellulosic fibres show varying treatment. Woven viscose or rayon dresses face the same 16% taxă standard (26% total) as polyester, but knitted viscose or rayon dresses carry a slightly lower standard duty of 14.9% (24.9% total). If your garment is manufactured from an unconventional blend or mixed fibres, check with your customs broker to determine the precise classification.

Comparing woven and knitted duties across dresses and skirts

Fibre composition influences duty across other women’s clothing styles in a similar manner. Examining duty rates across dresses and fuste demonstrates how synthetic fibre content leads to higher import costs, regardless of whether the garment is woven or knitted.

In the skirt category, woven polyester skirts and knitted polyester skirts both incur a 16% taxă standard, leading to a total duty of 26% after applying the 10% Secțiune 301 suprataxa. Woven viscose or rayon skirts also incur a 16% taxă standard (26% total). Cu toate acestea, knitted viscose or rayon skirts pay an 8% taxă standard (18% total), which is half the standard rate applied to woven viscose skirts.

Cotton skirts carry comparatively lower standard duties: woven cotton skirts pay 8.2% taxă standard (18.2% total), and knitted cotton skirts pay 8.3% taxă standard (18.3% total). Woven silk skirts and woven linen skirts pay the lowest standard duty in the skirt category at 6.6% (16.6% total).

The table below compares the standard and total duty rates applicable to women’s dresses and skirts imported from India into the United States:

Îmbrăcăminte Constructii Fibre Content Serviciu standard Secțiune 301 Datoria Datoria totală
Rochii Tesute Poliester 16% 10% 26%
Rochii Knitted Poliester 16% 10% 26%
Rochii Tesute Viscoză / raion 16% 10% 26%
Rochii Knitted Viscoză / raion 14.9% 10% 24.9%
Rochii Knitted Bumbac 11.5% 10% 21.5%
Rochii Tesute Bumbac 8.4% 10% 18.4%
Rochii Tesute Mătase 6.9% 10% 16.9%
Rochii Tesute Lenjerie 6.9% 10% 16.9%
Fuste Tesute Poliester 16% 10% 26%
Fuste Knitted Poliester 16% 10% 26%
Fuste Tesute Viscoză / raion 16% 10% 26%
Fuste Knitted Viscoză / raion 8% 10% 18%
Fuste Knitted Bumbac 8.3% 10% 18.3%
Fuste Tesute Bumbac 8.2% 10% 18.2%
Fuste Tesute Mătase 6.6% 10% 16.6%
Fuste Tesute Lenjerie 6.6% 10% 16.6%

US trade rules and additional tariffs on Indian garments

Importers should note that there is no bilateral trade agreement in force between the United States and India. Consequently, apparel shipments from India are subject to standard Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) duties plus an additional tariff.

Under Section 301, an additional duty of 10% has been collected on Indian garments since 24 iulie 2026. This 10% levy applies in addition to the standard MFN tariff, raising the overall duty range on garments from India to 1.2–32% + 10%. On a polyester dress subject to a 16% standard rate, the added 10% creates the 26% final duty charge.

Recent legislative and executive changes have also reshaped the tariff landscape:

The earlier IEEPA tariffs and the 25% Taxa pe petrol rusesc s-a încheiat în februarie 2026. A newer law, Drept Public 119-111 (semnat 18 septembrie 2026), allows an extra duty of up to 100% on goods from major purchasers of Russian oil and gas. Cu toate acestea, ca din 16 octombrie 2026, no official notice applies this additional duty to Indian goods. Because trade policies remain subject to official notices, check with your customs broker for updates on pending measures.

Verifică-ți propria haină

To calculate the specific duty liabilities for your upcoming orders by fibre and construction, use our dedicated calculators:

We manufacture woven and knitted dresses, fuste, caftanuri and scarves for international fashion brands; Vorbeste cu noi to discuss your sourcing and production needs.

Surse

Informații orientative din surse oficiale, scris 17 octombrie 2026. Tarife verificate pe împotriva tarifelor oficiale. Nu este o hotărâre vamală; confirmați cu agentul dumneavoastră vamal înainte de a vă baza pe acesta.

Dezvoltarea unei game de îmbrăcăminte pentru femei? Vezi cum lucrăm ca a producător de îmbrăcăminte pentru femei din India.

Vezi lookbook-ul Rochiilor → o privire din ultima noastră colecție. Solicitați gama completă: mai multe modele la cerere.

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