Importing handmade rugs from India to the USA

General information, not legal or customs advice. This page summarises public official sources we opened on 30 October 2026. Tariffs, taxes and product rules change. Your customs broker or compliance adviser decides the classification, duty and labelling for your shipment.

The Harmonized System (HS), maintained by the World Customs Organization, puts carpets and other textile floor coverings in Chapter 57. The 2022 edition lists these headings (WCO HS Nomenclature 2022, Chapter 57, checked 30 October 2026):

The US Harmonized Tariff Schedule adds further digits for each heading. In the HTS, 5701 has lines for wool and for other materials, including hand-knotted and hand-hooked lines; 5702.10 covers Kelem, Schumacks, Karamanie and similar hand-woven rugs; and 5703 has hand-hooked lines among its tufted categories (USITC HTS search, checked 30 October 2026). Which line your rug takes depends on its construction, fibre and size, so your broker decides it. A binding ruling can be requested from CBP.

Duty rates. We do not quote a duty rate here. The general rate differs by line, and additional duties or measures on goods from India can change. Look up the exact line and any additional measures in the official HTS before you price an order.

As standard we provide the commercial invoice, packing list, Certificate of Origin. We do not issue a phytosanitary certificate; a buyer who needs one for jute or seagrass should check the destination's rules with their broker. Additional compliance declarations and material-composition documents are prepared based on your market and requirements. We confirm the full document set for your order before production begins. See export and logistics and our standards.

We do not issue fire-test, flammability or other test certificates unless they are arranged for a specific order and confirmed on your quote.

Fibre content and origin. The US Federal Trade Commission lists rugs, carpets and mats as covered by the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act. For imports, the FTC says the label must show generic fibre names and percentages by weight in descending order, and the country where the product was processed or manufactured. The importer is legally responsible for accurate labelling, and Customs may have separate marking requirements (FTC textile and wool labelling guide, checked 30 October 2026). Read the CBP marking rules in 19 CFR Part 134 too.

On request from us: your own woven or sewn-in label, a barcode or QR sticker (you supply the numbers), your own packaging or polybag, and country of origin and fibre content on the label. See OEM and private label.

Flammability. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has two standards for carpets and rugs (16 CFR part 1630, and part 1631 for small rugs of no dimension over 6 feet and area up to 24 square feet), and says manufacturers and importers of products subject to a CPSC standard must certify compliance (CPSC carpets and rugs, checked 30 October 2026). Test certificates are not part of our standard document set; tell us before the order if you need them.

For trade orders the buyer is the importer of record. Duty and any other import charges are set by US law at the time of entry, and you should confirm them with a licensed customs broker before you order. We do not state a duty figure.

For retail orders on RS Living, import duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer to the carrier or customs on delivery. We do not collect or refund them. See RS Living shipping to the United States.

The usual default for this route is FOB Nhava Sheva (JNPT, Mumbai). Under FOB we clear the goods for export and load them on board at the Indian port; from that point cost and risk pass to you, and you arrange the ocean freight, destination clearance and delivery. We work to all Incoterms 2020 terms, and the term, named place and cost breakdown are confirmed on your quote before production. See export and logistics for the full list.

Retail orders are different. For orders placed through RS Living shipping to the United States, import duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer to the carrier or customs on delivery, and RS Living does not collect or refund them.

1. NDA and brief. We sign an NDA as standard before designs are shared, then you send construction, material, size and quantity.
2. Sample. 5 to 20 days. The sampling cost is credited against your order. See the sampling process.
3. Approval and PO. The approved sample becomes the reference for bulk. Label, barcode or QR sticker and packaging choices are confirmed here (OEM and private label).
4. Bulk production. 8 to 16 weeks.
5. Export documents and loading. We prepare the document set and clear the goods for export at Nhava Sheva under FOB.
6. Ocean freight and import clearance. Arranged by you or your forwarder and broker. Transit time depends on the carrier and service you book.
7. Air freight. Air freight for samples and urgent small orders is typically around Rs 1,000 per kg door to door (indicative, owner estimate; varies by route, weight and season).

Constructions and materials are listed in rug specifications. For ordering see how to order and wholesale rugs. New to importing? Read how to start a rug brand.

Archived with a DOI: Importing handmade rugs from India: HS headings 5701, 5702, 5703 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0).

Core references: OEM and private label, rug specifications, how to order, wholesale rugs and the sample program.

See also: Export and logistics · OEM and private label · Rug specifications · Rug sampling process · Wholesale rugs · Importing to Germany · Importing to France · Importing to Canada · Importing to Australia · Importing to the UAE · RS Living shipping to the US · How to order