For mid-market and enterprise
Section 301 apparel duties in 2026: verify the current stack
For established apparel import teams: retire pre-July assumptions, identify the applicable measures and assemble product evidence before quoting U.S. landed cost.
General information, not a duty quotation. Shipment-specific conclusions require licensed customs broker review.
Do not use a pre-July rate table for a new entry.
The previous version of this article was an April 2026 snapshot with prospective July 24 instructions. That planning window is in the past. Its combined rate table and anticipated outcomes are not a current entry quotation and have been removed from this guide.
On July 23, 2026, USTR announced final action in its investigations concerning 60 economies’ failure to enforce forced-labor import prohibitions. The announcement includes differentiated treatment and exemptions. It does not establish a single effective duty for every garment, shoe or sourcing lane.
What the enterprise import team should verify now.
For each affected product, assemble the current specification, production facts, transaction documents and proposed entry date. Ask the responsible licensed broker to identify the supported tariff classification and origin, relevant additional duties, exemptions and entry instructions.
Keep separate lines for base duty, additional measures and fees. Do not turn the merchandise processing fee percentage into a universal uncapped effective-duty addition. Obtain the applicable fee limits and basis for the particular entry before modeling the amount.
| Evidence / input | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Product construction and composition | A broad apparel description does not establish a complete HTS classification. |
| Manufacturing steps and locations | The supplier address or European headquarters is not an origin determination. |
| Transaction and valuation facts | The invoice alone may not resolve the customs value. |
| Intended entry date and official notices | A historical rate snapshot may be out of date. |
| Exceptions and other applicable measures | A headline percentage is not the full duty stack. |
| Shipment and fee basis | Fees and logistics need their own assumptions and calculations. |
Keep tariff treatment separate from admissibility.
The July USTR action and CBP forced-labor enforcement answer different questions. A duty calculation does not replace supply-chain evidence or a response to a CBP detention. CBP’s June 2026 operational-guidance announcement brings its UFLPA, WRO/Finding and CAATSA processes together and points importers to documentation examples.
Use scenarios to expose uncertainty, not conceal it.
For a European brand sourcing globally, compare consistent products, volumes, dates and service requirements. Show which numbers are verified, provisional or excluded. If a proposed duty advantage depends on an unconfirmed origin or valuation assumption, identify that dependency before selecting the supplier.
The linked worked example uses deliberately hypothetical duty inputs and makes no claim about apparel rates or available savings. It illustrates a cost bridge and break-even test only.
Review scope.
This page is an evidence-preparation guide, not an apparel tariff schedule or a determination for a shipment. No current effective rates are quoted. The retained URL preserves the existing resource’s discovery path; the old April assumptions should not be reused as present-day guidance.
Questions, answered directly.
Should I follow the old instructions to act before July 24, 2026?
No. That date is in the past. The previous prospective instructions and combined rate table have been retired. Review current official notices and your shipment facts with the responsible broker.
What is the current total duty on an apparel item?
This guide does not give a universal total. Classification, origin, valuation, entry date, applicable measures, exemptions and fees must be established for the specific goods.
Can paying the tariff resolve forced-labor admissibility?
No. Tariff treatment and CBP forced-labor enforcement are separate matters. Supply-chain evidence and the relevant enforcement process still need to be addressed.
Sources and limits
- USTR: July 23, 2026 Section 301 action
- USITC: Harmonized Tariff Schedule
- CBP: Forced Labor Enforcement Operational Guidance
- CBP: Reasonable Care
Sources support the stated context, not an endorsement of Greenwich or a shipment-specific determination.
Define your next U.S. decision.
Agree the question, evidence and responsibilities before acting.
Import readiness review