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Sign inApr2019 · Q67 · Classification
Classifying a cotton-and-polyester baseball cap in the 2018 HTSUS: GRI 2(b), 3(a), 3(b) and 3(c) applied through GRI 6 inside heading 6505, leading to the man-made fiber, knitted, no-braid subheading 6505.00.60
Use only the 2018 Basic Edition and the original question 67 facts. The stem gives a baseball-style cap with a crown of six panels and a rounded peak. Four rear panels are 100% knit polyester, two front panels are 100% woven cotton, and the peak is 100% woven cotton. The cap contains no braid. The stem says the cap is a composite good and that no single component imparts its essential character. Step 1, heading (GRI 1): heading 6505 covers 'Hats and other headgear, knitted or crocheted, or made up from lace, felt or other textile fabric, in the piece (but not in strips), whether or not lined or trimmed'. Knit panels and woven fabric panels both fit those terms, so the heading is 6505. The open question is the subheading. Step 2, candidate branches (GRI 6 with GRI 2(b)): GRI 6 says subheadings are decided by their own terms and, mutatis mutandis, the earlier rules, comparing only subheadings at the same level. Under 6505.00 'Other: Other:' the same-level material branches are 'Of cotton, flax or both', 'Of wool', 'Of man-made fibers' and 'Other'. Under GRI 2(b), a reference to goods of a material includes goods made partly of it. So the cap is prima facie described by both the cotton branch and the man-made fiber branch. The wool branch and the residual 'Other' branch do not describe a cap made wholly of cotton and polyester. Step 3, GRI 3(a): each of those two branches refers to only part of the materials in a composite good, so they are regarded as equally specific. Step 4, GRI 3(b): essential character would normally decide next, but the stem expressly states that no single component imparts it. The lesson does not override that fact. It does not treat four panels out of six, area or presumed weight as essential character or as a weight majority. Step 5, GRI 3(c): classify under the provision that occurs last in numerical order among those that equally merit consideration. The comparison is only between the two relevant same-level branches. Cotton runs 6505.00.15 to .25, and man-made fibers run 6505.00.50 to .80, so the man-made fiber branch comes last. That does not mean taking the numerically largest number in the heading, such as 'Other' 6505.00.90, which does not equally merit consideration. Step 6, inside the man-made fiber branch: the polyester panels are knit, so the branch 'Knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabric' applies. Under it, the branches are 'Wholly or in part of braid' (.50) and 'Not in part of braid' (.60). The cap contains no braid, so the result is 6505.00.60. The question asks for an 8-digit classification, which matches the preserved official answer E (key printed as 'HTSUS 6505.0060'). Not taught: any 10-digit statistical suffix, any duty rate or total, any 2026 figure or Chapter 99 measure, or any option-by-option walkthrough or answer letter.
What you will learn
Use only the 2018 Basic Edition and the original question 67 facts. The stem gives a baseball-style cap with a crown of six panels and a rounded peak. Four rear panels are 100% knit polyester, two front panels are 100% woven cotton, and the peak is 100% woven cotton. The cap contains no braid. The stem says the cap is a composite good and that no single component imparts its essential character. Step 1, heading (GRI 1): heading 6505 covers 'Hats and other headgear, knitted or crocheted, or made up from lace, felt or other textile fabric, in the piece (but not in strips), whether or not lined or trimmed'. Knit panels and woven fabric panels both fit those terms, so the heading is 6505. The open question is the subheading. Step 2, candidate branches (GRI 6 with GRI 2(b)): GRI 6 says subheadings are decided by their own terms and, mutatis mutandis, the earlier rules, comparing only subheadings at the same level. Under 6505.00 'Other: Other:' the same-level material branches are 'Of cotton, flax or both', 'Of wool', 'Of man-made fibers' and 'Other'. Under GRI 2(b), a reference to goods of a material includes goods made partly of it. So the cap is prima facie described by both the cotton branch and the man-made fiber branch. The wool branch and the residual 'Other' branch do not describe a cap made wholly of cotton and polyester. Step 3, GRI 3(a): each of those two branches refers to only part of the materials in a composite good, so they are regarded as equally specific. Step 4, GRI 3(b): essential character would normally decide next, but the stem expressly states that no single component imparts it. The lesson does not override that fact. It does not treat four panels out of six, area or presumed weight as essential character or as a weight majority. Step 5, GRI 3(c): classify under the provision that occurs last in numerical order among those that equally merit consideration. The comparison is only between the two relevant same-level branches. Cotton runs 6505.00.15 to .25, and man-made fibers run 6505.00.50 to .80, so the man-made fiber branch comes last. That does not mean taking the numerically largest number in the heading, such as 'Other' 6505.00.90, which does not equally merit consideration. Step 6, inside the man-made fiber branch: the polyester panels are knit, so the branch 'Knitted or crocheted or made up from knitted or crocheted fabric' applies. Under it, the branches are 'Wholly or in part of braid' (.50) and 'Not in part of braid' (.60). The cap contains no braid, so the result is 6505.00.60. The question asks for an 8-digit classification, which matches the preserved official answer E (key printed as 'HTSUS 6505.0060'). Not taught: any 10-digit statistical suffix, any duty rate or total, any 2026 figure or Chapter 99 measure, or any option-by-option walkthrough or answer letter.
HTSUS (2018) General Rules of Interpretation, GN p.1: GRI 1, 2(b), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c) and 6; HTSUS (2018 Basic) Chapter 65, page 65-3, heading 6505 text; HTSUS (2018 Basic) Chapter 65, pages 65-4 to 65-8, same-level material branches under 6505.00 'Other: Other:' (rate columns intentionally not quoted); HTSUS (2018 Basic) Chapter 65, pages 65-6 and 65-7, man-made fiber branch: knitted versus other, braid versus no braid (rate columns and statistical suffixes intentionally not quoted); April 2019 CBLE question 67 stem and official answer key line 67 (historical original excerpt) · Historical 2018 HTSUS Basic Edition (No Supplements), the edition the April 2019 exam cover requires, as recorded in the independent review's currentBoundary. This lesson uses only the 2018 General Rules of Interpretation (General Notes page 1: GRI 1, 2(b), 3(a), 3(b), 3(c) and 6) and the 2018 Basic Chapter 65 hierarchy: heading 6505 on page 65-3, then the 6505.00 'Other: Other:' material branches on pages 65-4 to 65-8, and the man-made fiber knitted branch with subheading 6505.00.60 on page 65-6. The fact source is the original question 67 stem. This is a historical, classification-only lesson. It teaches no duty rate, statistical suffix, current 2026 schedule or Chapter 99 measure.
Explained using the historical edition for this exam.