Wet-Blue Bovine Full Grain Upper Leather from Japan
This is tanned bovine leather in wet-blue state, full grain unsplit, prepared specifically for upper parts of footwear like shoe vamps. It falls under HTS 4104.11.40 as it's in the wet state (wet-blue), not further prepared beyond tanning, and designated as upper leather from bovine hides without hair. The wet-blue process involves chrome tanning, keeping it in a moist, reversible state.
Duty Rate — Japan → United States
55%
Rate breakdown
9903.03.0110%Except for products described in headings 9903.03.02–9903.03.11, articles the product of any country, as provided for in subdivision (aa) of U.S. note 2 to this subchapter
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)
Import Tips
• Verify the leather is truly in wet state (wet-blue) with moisture content over 50%; dried hides shift to other subheadings
• Provide tannery certificates confirming full grain, unsplit status and upper leather designation to avoid misclassification
• Check for any fat-liquoring or coloring, as these make it 'crust' under note (b), moving to 4104.19