Importing your own clothing from Pakistan is straightforward once you know who handles each step. This guide is written for US brands, teams and retailers ordering custom or private label apparel. It is up to date as of October 2026, but it is general information, not legal or customs advice: tariffs have changed several times since 2025, so confirm your codes and rates with a licensed customs broker before you order.
The short version
- Your company is normally the importer of record and pays US duties and fees.
- Duty is the normal HTSUS rate for the garment plus an additional 10% Section 301 duty on goods from Pakistan since 24 July 2026.
- The $800 de minimis exemption is suspended, so even samples sent by courier pay duty.
- For sea freight, an ISF (10+2) filing is due 24 hours before the container is loaded in Pakistan.
- Garments need FTC labels: fiber content, country of origin, your name or RN, and care instructions.
Who does what
| Who | What they do |
|---|---|
| Importer of record (usually you) | Owns the goods at entry, pays duties, taxes and fees, and is responsible for correct classification and value. You need an IRS EIN (or a CBP-assigned number) and, for formal entries, a customs bond. |
| Licensed customs broker | Classifies the goods, files the entry with CBP, calculates duty and arranges the bond. Couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS act as broker for parcels they carry. |
| Freight forwarder | Books air or ocean space, files or coordinates the ISF for sea freight, and moves the cargo from the port or airport to your door. |
| Manufacturer (us) | Makes and packs the order, and supplies the commercial invoice, packing list, export documents and the manufacturer details your broker needs, including the information for our Manufacturer Identification Code (MID). |
Import duty and tariffs in 2026
Duty on clothing has two parts. The first is the general (column 1) rate in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Clothing sits in chapter 61 (knitted) and chapter 62 (woven), and the rate depends on the garment, the fiber and sometimes the gender. Some common examples:
| Product | Typical HTSUS code | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton t-shirts | 6109.10.00 | 16.5% |
| Cotton knit sweatshirts and hoodies | 6110.20.20 | 16.5% |
| Polyester (man-made fiber) knit sweatshirts | 6110.30.30 | 32% |
| Men’s cotton knit polo shirts | 6105.10.00 | 19.7% |
| Men’s cotton knit trousers and shorts | 6103.42.10 | 16.1% |
| Leather apparel (for example motorcycle jackets) | 4203.10.40 | 6% |
The second part is the additional Section 301 duty. Since 24 July 2026, goods from Pakistan pay an extra 10% on top of the general rate (HTSUS heading 9903.05.62), under the trade action that replaced the temporary Section 122 surcharge. Under the same action Bangladesh and India are also at 10%, while China and Vietnam are at 12.5%. Some products are excluded, so ask your broker to check the annexes for your codes.
On top of duty, CBP charges a Merchandise Processing Fee (0.3464% of the value, with a minimum and maximum set each fiscal year) and, for ocean freight, a Harbor Maintenance Fee (0.125%). Clothing from Pakistan does not qualify for any US preference program: the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) expired on 31 December 2020 and has not been renewed.
Why the rules changed so often: the 2025 “reciprocal” tariffs were made under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court ruled on 20 February 2026 did not authorize them. A temporary 150-day surcharge under Section 122 followed from 24 February to 24 July 2026, and was then replaced by the current Section 301 duties. Always check the rate in force on the day your goods are entered.
A worked example. A shipment of cotton knit hoodies valued at $10,000 would pay 16.5% general duty ($1,650) plus 10% Section 301 duty ($1,000), plus the processing fee. Duty is calculated on the transaction value of the goods, which in the US generally excludes international freight and insurance.
Samples and small parcels: no more de minimis
Until 2025, parcels worth $800 or less could enter the US duty-free. That “de minimis” exemption has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025, a CBP rule made the suspension indefinite from 24 June 2026, and the law ends the exemption completely from 1 July 2027. In practice:
- Samples and small orders sent by DHL, FedEx or UPS now pay duty and the courier’s brokerage charge.
- Declare the real value and a clear description (for example “men’s 100% cotton knit hooded sweatshirt”). Under-declaring a sample can delay it and lead to penalties.
- Agree in advance who pays the duty: you on delivery, or a delivered-duty-paid (DDP) service arranged with the courier.
Shipping: courier, air or sea
| Method | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Express courier | Samples and small orders | Door to door; the courier clears customs and bills you the duty. |
| Air freight | Urgent bulk orders | Leaves from Sialkot, Lahore or Karachi; your forwarder or broker clears it at the US airport. |
| Sea freight (LCL or FCL) | Large and repeat orders | From Karachi or Port Qasim to US ports such as Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Houston or Savannah; needs an ISF filing before loading. |
Your quotation also sets the Incoterm, which decides where our responsibility ends. With FOB (Free On Board) we deliver the goods cleared for export onto the vessel in Pakistan and you pay the freight from there. With DAP (Delivered At Place) we arrange freight to your address and you pay the US duty and clearance. Read more on our packaging and shipping page.
Documents US customs needs
- Commercial invoice with a full description of each style (garment type, knitted or woven, fiber content by percentage, gender), quantity, unit value, total value, country of origin and the Incoterm.
- Packing list showing cartons, sizes, colors and weights.
- Air waybill or bill of lading.
- ISF (Importer Security Filing) for ocean shipments, filed by you or your broker at least 24 hours before loading.
- Entry documents filed by your broker, using our MID and the HTSUS codes for each style.
CBP can also ask for evidence of where the cotton came from. Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, garments containing cotton from China’s Xinjiang region are presumed to be made with forced labor and can be detained. Ask your manufacturer for the fabric and yarn supplier details for your order and keep them with your import records.
Labels and product rules
- FTC labeling: fiber content, country of origin (“Made in Pakistan”), your company name or RN, and a permanent care label. See our US clothing label requirements guide.
- Flammability: clothing textiles must meet the general flammability standard (16 CFR 1610). Ordinary cotton and polyester apparel normally passes; very light, brushed or raised fabrics may need testing.
- Children’s clothing (12 and under): needs a Children’s Product Certificate based on third-party lab testing, lead limits on paints and trims, permanent tracking labels, and no drawstrings at the hood or neck of upper outerwear in sizes 2T to 12.
- California Proposition 65: warnings may be needed if a product contains listed chemicals above safe-harbor levels, for example in some coatings, prints or PVC trims.
Checklist before you order
- Choose a customs broker (or a courier account for samples) and get an EIN if you don’t have one.
- Ask your broker to confirm the HTSUS code and total duty rate for each style.
- Agree the Incoterm (FOB or DAP) and who arranges freight and insurance.
- Approve your labels: fiber content, “Made in Pakistan”, your name or RN, and care instructions.
- For kids’ products, plan third-party testing and tracking labels.
- For sea freight, make sure your forwarder files the ISF on time.
- Keep the invoice, packing list, entry summary and supplier records together for at least five years.
How we help US buyers
We make clothing for US brands and teams to US size charts, print or weave labels to FTC rules from the artwork you approve, pack for export and prepare the commercial invoice, packing list and manufacturer details your broker needs. See manufacturing for US brands, or start a design in our AI Design Studio.
Sourcing clothing from Pakistan for a US brand? We make custom hoodies, t-shirts, sweatshirts, tracksuits, varsity jackets and team uniforms in Sialkot, with private label neck labels and care labels that follow US rules. Tell us what you need and we will quote it: request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the import duty on clothing from Pakistan to the USA?
It is the HTSUS general rate for the garment (16.5% for cotton t-shirts and hoodies, 32% for many polyester knit tops) plus an additional 10% Section 301 duty on goods from Pakistan since 24 July 2026, plus the Merchandise Processing Fee and, for sea freight, the Harbor Maintenance Fee. Confirm the exact code and rate with your customs broker.
Is clothing from Pakistan duty-free in the USA?
No. The US GSP program that once gave duty-free access for some goods expired on 31 December 2020, and clothing was largely excluded from it anyway. Pakistan has no free trade agreement with the US.
Is there still an $800 de minimis exemption for clothing samples?
No. The exemption has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025, and CBP made the suspension indefinite in June 2026. Samples and small parcels pay duty, usually collected by the courier.
Do I need a customs broker to import clothing?
Not by law, but most brands use one. Couriers act as your broker for parcels; for air and sea freight, a licensed customs broker files the entry, arranges the bond and calculates the duty.
What does FOB mean on a quote from Pakistan?
Free On Board: the manufacturer delivers the goods, cleared for export, onto the ship at the port in Pakistan. From that point you pay the freight, insurance, US duties and delivery.
Official sources
- CBP CSMS #69326983: Section 301 forced labor import duties (July 2026)
- Federal Register: indefinite suspension of the de minimis exemption (June 2026)
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (USITC)
- CBP: Generalized System of Preferences (expired)
- FTC: Threading your way through the labeling requirements
- CBP: Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
More guides
- US clothing label requirements
- Importing clothing from Pakistan to the UK
- Importing clothing from Pakistan to the EU
- How to start a private label clothing brand
Ready to order for the US market? Design it in the AI studio or request a quote, and tell us your delivery city and preferred shipping terms.