Sisal Woven Beach Flip-Flops from Japan
Budget beach flip-flops with uppers of woven sisal (vegetable fiber) and thin rubber/plastics soles where textile (sisal webbing) covers most ground contact but lacks required durability. Priced under $3/pair, classified in 6404.19.52.90 for low-value, non-standard textile-sole footwear with veg fiber uppers.
Duty Rate — Japan → United States
52.5%
Rate breakdown
9903.41.1040%Footwear with outer soles of leather and uppers wholly or in part of leather, and footwear with outer soles of rubber or plastics and uppers having an exterior surface area predominantly of leather, the foregoing provided for in chapter 64, except (a) slip-on footwear of a type not suitable for outdoor use, without backs or backstraps, having outer soles with a thickness of less than 5 mm and with less than 20 mm difference between the thickness of the bottom at the ball of the foot and at the heel, and (b) footwear which is designed for a sporting activity and has, or has provision for, attached spikes, sprigs, stops, clips, bars or the like, and skating boots, ski-boots and cross-country ski footwear, wrestling boots, boxing boots and cycling shoes
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
• Label uppers clearly as vegetable fibers; customs may require fiber analysis certificates for sisal/abaca claims
• Avoid misdeclaring sole durability—textile must not meet US Note 5 standards; photos/cross-sections help
• Batch low-value shipments but track per-pair valuation to prevent averaging penalties