5105.21 Wool; wool tops and other combed wool, in fragments
A full HS code. These six digits are what goes on a customs declaration, and they mean the same thing in every country that uses the Harmonized System.
Section XI, Textiles & Apparel — silk, wool, cotton, man-made fibres, fabrics, carpets and clothing.
- 51 Chapter Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric
- 05 Heading Wool and fine or coarse animal hair; carded or combed (including combed wool in fragments)
- 21 Subheading Wool; wool tops and other combed wool, in fragments
Chapter 51 covers wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric: raw and processed wool fibre and fabric before it becomes finished apparel. Classification tip: Fine animal hair (cashmere, mohair, angora) is classified separately from ordinary sheep's wool, and the specific animal source can materially change the applicable duty rate.
All of chapter 51Other codes under 51.05
The wording above is the Harmonized System nomenclature as published by the World Customs Organization, HS 2022 edition. It is a classification reference, not a tariff: it carries no duty rates, and it stops at six digits — the importing country adds its own beyond that.
Classification is decided by the General Rules of Interpretation and the section and chapter notes, and it is the importing country’s customs authority that makes it binding.
Shipping goods under 5105.21? A customs hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving — follow the container or the air waybill from departure to delivery.
Track a shipment5105.21 FAQ
5105.21 covers wool; wool tops and other combed wool, in fragments. It sits under heading 51.05 (wool and fine or coarse animal hair; carded or combed (including combed wool in fragments)) in chapter 51, Section XI of the Harmonized System.
It is the international part of it. Six digits are the same in every country that applies the Harmonized System; the importing country then extends them to eight or ten for its own tariff and statistics. Declare 5105.21 plus whatever national digits the destination’s tariff schedule adds to it.
The General Rules of Interpretation, read together with the notes to Section XI and to chapter 51. A description that reads right is not enough on its own — the notes routinely pull goods out of the chapter they obviously belong to and put them somewhere else. Where duty or licensing turns on the answer, ask the importing country’s customs authority for a binding ruling.
A wrong or missing code is one of the common reasons customs holds a container, and a hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving. Watch for it in the container tracking app, on the air waybill in the air cargo tracker, or through the tracking API.