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The short answer
Adire on woven cotton is usually classified in HTS heading 5208, and for dyed plain-weave fabric over 100 g/m2 (5208.32) the general duty runs from 3% for certified hand-loomed fabric to 7%, 9.7% or 12.5% depending on yarn number. Only the hand-loomed line lists AGOA in its special column. As at October 2026 a 12.5% Section 301 tariff also applies to products of Nigeria unless exempt. Made-up garments are classified separately.
Why classification moves the duty so much
Textiles are among the most finely divided parts of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. For a bolt of adire the line depends on several facts about the cloth itself, not on its pattern or its cultural name:
- Fibre: cotton, rayon, silk or a blend, and the share of each.
- Construction: woven or knitted, and for woven fabric the weave, such as plain weave.
- Weight in grams per square metre.
- Finish: unbleached, bleached, dyed, of yarns of different colours, or printed.
- Yarn number, a measure of fineness defined in the HTS notes.
- Whether the fabric is certified as hand-loomed.
Adire is resist-dyed by hand, often on factory-woven cotton. The handwork is in the dyeing, not the weaving, which usually matters for the line chosen.
The 5208.32 lines
Subheading 5208.32 covers dyed plain-weave cotton fabric weighing more than 100 g/m2. The USITC schedule, viewed October 2026, gives:
| HTS line | Description | General duty | D in special column |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5208.32.10.00 | certified hand-loomed fabrics | 3% | yes |
| 5208.32.30 | yarn number 42 or lower | 7% | no |
| 5208.32.40 | yarn numbers 43 to 68 | 9.7% | no |
| 5208.32.50 | yarn number 69 or higher | 12.5% | no |
So a typical adire on a mid-weight machine-woven cotton could fall at 7% or 9.7% depending on how fine the yarn is, while the same pattern on certified hand-loomed cloth would be 3%. Only the hand-loomed line lists the code D in its special column; the machine-woven lines do not, so AGOA is unlikely to help unless the cloth is certified hand-loomed. Ask your broker what certification CBP accepts.
Dyed, printed or something else
Tie-dye and starch-resist methods colour the cloth after weaving, but the result can look like a print. Whether CBP treats a given adire as dyed, printed or of yarns of different colours affects which subheading applies. If you will import regularly, a binding ruling gives you certainty; see customs binding rulings.
The Section 301 tariff on top
Since 24 July 2026, under the US Trade Representative's Section 301 action published on 28 July 2026, products of Nigeria face an additional 12.5% tariff, except products in Annex I and Annex II, Part A, which we did not review. Customs origin for fabric depends on where it was made; cloth woven elsewhere and dyed in Abeokuta may raise origin questions for your broker.
Worked example
Example: $4,000 of machine-woven cotton adire classified at 5208.32.40 (9.7%) attracts $388 ordinary duty. The Section 301 tariff at 12.5% adds $500, for $888 in total. If the same value were certified hand-loomed cloth on 5208.32.10 at 3%, ordinary duty would be $120, total $620 with the Section 301 tariff, before any AGOA treatment. These figures show the method; your broker confirms the line.
Documents your broker will ask for
- a commercial invoice with a full description: fibre content, weave, weight in g/m2, finish and yardage or metres;
- the unit price and total value, matching what you actually paid;
- a swatch or photographs, especially for resist-dyed cloth that looks printed;
- where the base cloth was woven and where it was dyed; and
- for hand-loomed cloth, whatever certification your broker says CBP will accept.
Common classification mistakes
- Describing the goods only as "African fabric" or "adire" on the invoice, which forces CBP to guess.
- Assuming hand-dyed means hand-loomed.
- Ignoring blends: a cotton-rayon blend may leave heading 5208 altogether.
- Using the same code for fabric and for garments made from it.
Garments made from adire
AGOA has separate provisions for apparel. Proclamation 11030 of 19 May 2026 implemented the renewal of AGOA through 31 December 2026, including the regional apparel and third-country fabric provisions, and CBP collects an AGOA textile certificate of origin for apparel claims. Whether Nigeria can use them at present was not confirmed on the pages we read.
An adire shirt, dress or wrapper made up into a garment is not fabric. Garments are classified in chapters 61 and 62, with their own rates, and must carry FTC textile labels showing fibre content, country of origin and the dealer's identity, plus care instructions. Fabric sold by the yard cut from a properly labelled bolt does not need its own label. See textile labelling rules and aso-oke and lace duties.
Steps before importing adire
- Get the fibre content, weave, weight in g/m2 and yarn details from the supplier or a test.
- Ask whether the base cloth is hand-loomed and certified.
- Have your broker classify it, or seek a binding ruling.
- Check the Section 301 annexes and origin.
- Label bolts for fibre and origin.
Where Pryme fits
Abeokuta dyers often sell in naira. A Pryme Business Account opened from the US holds USD and NGN; you pay after a Swap, with the rate and the fee shown before you approve.
Questions people ask
What is the HTS code for adire fabric?
For dyed plain-weave cotton over 100 g/m2 it is usually under 5208.32; the exact line depends on yarn number and whether the cloth is certified hand-loomed. Your broker confirms it.
What is the duty on adire from Nigeria?
Under 5208.32, 3% for certified hand-loomed fabric, otherwise 7%, 9.7% or 12.5% by yarn number, plus the 12.5% Section 301 tariff on Nigerian products as at October 2026 unless exempt.
Does AGOA cover adire fabric?
Only the certified hand-loomed line under 5208.32 lists AGOA in its special column. Nigeria's eligibility and the Section 301 interaction should be confirmed with your broker.
Is tie-dye fabric classed as printed or dyed?
It depends on how CBP views the finish. A binding ruling gives certainty if you import regularly.
Sources
- USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule search: 5208.32, dyed plain-weave cotton fabric (viewed Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Federal Register: USTR notice of actions in Section 301 investigations of various economies (28 Jul 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Federal Register: Proclamation 11030, To implement certain provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (signed 19 May 2026, published 22 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Federal Register: CBP information collection, AGOA textile certificate of origin (6 May 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- FTC: Threading your way through the labeling requirements under the Textile and Wool Acts (modified 10 Apr 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.