Landed cost — the United States
Importing Custom Apparel Into the US: Duty and Landed Cost
The US is the most expensive of our markets to land goods in, and the one whose rules are moving fastest. Two separate charges stack, and the small-parcel exemption people plan around no longer exists.
Two charges stack: the normal tariff for your product code, plus a 10% Section 301 tariff that applies to goods of Pakistan. There is no de minimis exemption to fall under.
The short version
- Cotton sweaters, pullovers and sweatshirts (HTS 6110.20.20) carry a general duty rate of 16.5%.
- A 10% Section 301 tariff applies to goods of Pakistan, from the July 2026 action covering 60 economies.
- On that product line the two together come to about 26.5%.
- Per $100 of goods: $16.50 general duty plus $10 Section 301 tariff is $26.50, so $126.50 before freight, the Merchandise Processing Fee and courier charges.
- The tariff-rate quota relief in that action covers Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia — not Pakistan.
- The $800 de minimis exemption is suspended indefinitely, for all countries and all shipping modes; postal parcels moved to a formal informal-entry process from 24 July 2026.
- Two small federal fees also apply on entry: the Merchandise Processing Fee at 0.3464% (minimum $33.58, maximum $651.50 per formal entry) and, for ocean freight, the Harbor Maintenance Fee at 0.125%.
- There is no federal VAT. US sales tax is a domestic matter and is not collected at the border.
Checked against the official sources linked below on 23 September 2026. Duty and tax law changes — we re-check before every quote rather than publishing a number and letting it go stale. Verify your own commodity code before you commit to a price: USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule search
The normal tariff
The starting point is the general rate of duty for your specific product code in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. It is set by what the garment is and what it is made of, not by who made it.
For cotton sweaters, pullovers and sweatshirts — HTS 6110.20.20, which covers a lot of what we make — the general rate is 16.5%. A different garment or a different fibre is a different line and a different number, so look up your own code rather than borrowing this one.
The Section 301 tariff on Pakistani goods
On top of the normal tariff, a 10% ad valorem tariff applies to goods of Pakistan. It comes from the July 2026 Section 301 action covering 60 economies, brought over the enforcement of prohibitions on goods produced with forced labour. Pakistan is named in the 10% band.
That action also created tariff-rate quotas letting a volume of textiles and apparel enter free of the Section 301 tariff — but only for Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Pakistan is not among them, so there is no quota relief to plan around here.
Because this is a trade measure rather than a stable tariff schedule, it is the number most likely to move. We re-check it before every quote, and if the law changes between quote and dispatch we re-quote rather than passing you a surprise.
Two other measures you may have read about no longer apply. The IEEPA “reciprocal” tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court on 20 February 2026, and the 10% Section 122 surcharge that briefly replaced them expired by law on 24 July 2026. As of the date at the top of this page, the normal tariff plus the 10% Section 301 tariff is the complete stack for Pakistani cotton knitwear.
Source: Federal Register — Section 301 action, 60 economies (HTS 9903.05.62 for Pakistan), 28 July 2026Supreme Court — Learning Resources v. Trump, No. 24-1287 (20 February 2026)Federal Register — Proclamation 11012, Section 122 surcharge (expired 24 July 2026)White House — Section 301 actions covering 60 economies (July 2026)USTR — findings and proposed action in the 60 investigations
There is no small-parcel exemption any more
The $800 de minimis exemption is suspended indefinitely, for all countries and for every shipping mode including international post. Goods at or below $800 are subject to all applicable duties, taxes and fees, and need a proper customs entry.
For a first order this matters more than the rate does. A 30-piece run is dutiable on exactly the same basis as a 3,000-piece one — so a small first order does not slip under a threshold, and should be budgeted with duty included from the start.
Two federal fees ride on every entry as well. The Merchandise Processing Fee is 0.3464% of the value, with a minimum of $33.58 and a maximum of $651.50 per formal entry, so on a container it is capped and on a small air shipment it is the minimum. The Harbor Maintenance Fee, 0.125%, applies to ocean freight only.
Source: CBP — suspension of duty-free de minimis treatmentFederal Register — indefinite suspension of the de minimis exemption (non-postal)Federal Register — postal shipments: suspension and informal-entry processFederal Register — FY2026 Merchandise Processing Fee limits
What goes on the label for the US
Every garment sold in the US carries a sewn-in label, and the rules are federal: the FTC Textile Rules, the FTC Care Labeling Rule and the CBP marking rules. This is what goes on it.
- RequiredFibre content. Each fibre by its generic name with its percentage, largest first. Anything under 5% can be listed as “other fiber”.
- RequiredCountry of origin. In English, on a label inside the centre of the neck.
- RequiredWho is responsible. The name of the manufacturer, importer or seller, or a US RN number. RN numbers are issued only to US businesses, so the label can carry your company name or ours — the importer stays responsible either way.
- RequiredCare. A permanent care label that stays readable for the life of the garment. The standard care symbols are allowed instead of words.
Everything required must be in English; other languages can be added. We sew in whatever you specify — woven, printed or tear-away — with this wording on it.
Source: 16 CFR Part 303 — FTC Textile Rules (fibre, origin, identity, language)16 CFR Part 423 — FTC Care Labeling Rule19 CFR Part 134 — CBP country-of-origin markingFTC — Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements
Why we quote DDP
On this route the duty is a permanent part of your unit cost, not a reclaimable tax — there is no VAT to get back. That makes it the market where a factory-gate price is most misleading: roughly a quarter of the value again arrives later, as a courier invoice, usually after you have already set your retail price.
That is what DDP means: freight, duty, tax and carrier fees paid before the parcel lands, each itemised on your quote. Ask every supplier you compare to itemise the same three lines — if one will not, that is your answer about which number is real.
Questions we get asked about the US
- How much is US duty on custom hoodies from Pakistan?
- On HTS 6110.20.20 — cotton sweaters, pullovers and sweatshirts — the general rate is 16.5%, and a 10% Section 301 tariff applies to goods of Pakistan on top, so roughly 26.5% in total. Add the Merchandise Processing Fee (0.3464%, capped at $651.50 per entry) and, by sea, the 0.125% Harbor Maintenance Fee. Your own product code may differ, so check it before you budget.
- Is there a minimum order value below which I pay no US duty?
- No. The $800 de minimis exemption is suspended indefinitely for all countries and all shipping modes, so a small first order is dutiable on the same basis as a large one.
- Does the tariff-rate quota on textiles help a Pakistani order?
- No. The quotas created in the July 2026 Section 301 action apply to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Pakistan is not included.
- Do I pay US sales tax at the border?
- No. There is no federal VAT in the US, and sales tax is a domestic matter between you and your state — it is not collected on import.
The other markets we ship to
Duty is set by the destination, so the same garment lands at a different cost in each of these. The overview of how the four compare is in what duty actually costs.