Buffalo Wet-Blue Upper Leather for Work Boots from Japan
Whole buffalo hide leather, full grain unsplit, chrome-tanned to wet-blue stage, surface <2.6 m², for upper material in rugged work boots. Meets HTS 4104.11.10 criteria as bovine (buffalo included) wet-state leather not further prepared. Provides toughness for heavy-duty footwear.
Duty Rate — Japan → United States
52.5%
Rate breakdown
9903.41.0540%Bovine (including buffalo) and equine leather (provided for in heading 4104 or 4107); goat, kid, sheep and lamb leather, the foregoing dyed, colored, stamped or embossed (provided for in heading 4105, 4106, 4112 or 4113)
9903.05.4912.5%Section 301 (forced labor) — Japan (col1 rate < 12.5 percent): MFN < 12.5% → total duty capped at 12.5%
Import Tips
• Include lab analysis confirming chrome tanning and wet-blue pH levels for customs verification
• Declare as 'buffalo' specifically, as it's bovine, to prevent misclassification under equine
• Watch for splitting during handling, which would change it to grain splits subheading