Section 301 Tariffs on Filter Bags (2026): China vs. Korea
Felt filter bags from China now carry two Section 301 duties on top of the 3.8% MFN rate: the China Section 301 duty of 25% and the forced-labor Section 301 duty of 12.5%, for a total of 41.3%. Felt filter bags of Korean origin are subject only to the forced-labor action, which caps the combined rate, including MFN, at 12.5%. The forced-labor action took effect on July 24, 2026 and covers 60 economies at different rates.
Rates checked November 2, 2026 · For orientation only, not legal or customs advice
How the duty adds up on a felt filter bag (HTS 5911.90.0080)
Duty layer
Made in China
Made in Korea
General (MFN) duty
3.8%
12.5% combinedthe forced-labor action sets a 12.5% total including MFN
China Section 301, List 3 (9903.88.03)
25%
Forced-labor Section 301 (9903.05.31 for China)
12.5%
Total on entered value
41.3%
12.5%
Duty on US$100,000 of bags
$41,300
$12,500
What is the China Section 301 duty?
The China Section 301 tariffs were imposed in 2018–2019 after the US Trade Representative’s investigation of China’s technology-transfer practices. Heading 5911 products fall on List 3, now at 25%, reported under 9903.88.03; CBP ruling N302412 lists subheading 5911.90.0080 among the covered goods. It applies only to goods of Chinese origin and remains in force alongside the newer action, unless a product-specific exclusion applies.
What is the forced-labor Section 301 action?
Announced on July 23, 2026 and in effect from 12:01 a.m. ET on July 24, 2026, the forced-labor action followed a USTR investigation of 60 economies. Countries with forced-labor import bans, or commitments to them, received 10%; the others received 12.5%. The rate is applied in two ways:
Stacked on MFN – for China, Vietnam and most other economies, 12.5% is added to the regular duty.
Combined rate net of MFN – for Korea, Japan and Switzerland, the total including MFN is 12.5%; for the EU and Taiwan, 10%.
Because the Korean rate is a cap that includes MFN, a felt filter bag of Korean origin pays 12.5% in total rather than 3.8% plus 12.5%.
Which goods count as Korean origin?
Origin follows the US textile rules in 19 CFR 102.21, not the shipping country. A felt filter bag is Korean when it is wholly assembled (cut and sewn) in Korea, even from imported felt. Felt media in rolls takes the origin of the country where the felt was made, and fiberglass bags generally keep the origin of the woven glass fabric. Details are on the US import duty page.
What could change these rates?
USTR may lower a country’s 12.5% rate to 10% if it adopts a forced-labor import ban it considers potentially effective, or remove the 10% rate if a ban is enforced effectively.
Product exclusions are code-specific and can be added or expire.
Duties from separate investigations, such as the excess-capacity investigation, would likely stack on top.
Micro-one reviews these rates every week and updates this page and the landed-cost calculator when a change takes effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are filter bags from China subject to Section 301 tariffs?
Yes. Felt filter bags under 5911.90.0080 from China pay the 25% China Section 301 duty (9903.88.03) and, since July 24, 2026, the 12.5% forced-labor Section 301 duty, on top of 3.8% MFN — 41.3% in total.
Do filter bags from Korea pay Section 301 tariffs?
They are not subject to the China Section 301 duty. Korean-origin goods fall under the forced-labor Section 301 action at a combined 12.5% including MFN, so a Korean felt filter bag pays 12.5% in total.
When did the forced-labor Section 301 tariff take effect?
At 12:01 a.m. ET on July 24, 2026, one day after it was announced, covering 60 economies at 10% or 12.5%.
Does shipping Chinese filter bags through Korea avoid the tariff?
No. Duty follows the country of origin, not the route. A bag made in China remains Chinese origin. A felt bag becomes Korean only when it is wholly assembled in Korea.
How much duty is saved on $100,000 of felt filter bags?
About $28,800 a year: $41,300 for China-made bags versus $12,500 for Korean-sewn bags, before freight and fees.
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