Clothing from China: 36.5% US Tariff (2026)
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The Supreme Court struck down the 2025 IEEPA tariffs and a $166B refund pool is open. See your personalized refund opportunity & filing roadmap.
Illustrative analysis only — not legal, tax, or customs advice. Eligibility and amounts are determined by CBP; filing is handled by licensed professionals.
IEEPA refunds — illustrative, not a personal claim
Paid IEEPA duty on imports of Clothing from China in 2025–early 2026?
The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA reciprocal (and fentanyl/trafficking) tariffs on February 20, 2026. The Importer of Record — or the licensed broker who filed the original entries — can seek that IEEPA layer back through CBP’s CAPE process. This is not a consumer check, and it is not a guaranteed amount.
- Who can file: the original Importer of Record (or that entry’s filing broker), not the retail customer.
- Window: IEEPA duties collected from early 2025 through February 24, 2026 (reciprocal rates generally from April 2025; China/Canada/Mexico fentanyl layers started earlier).
- Not refundable: Section 232 (steel/aluminum/autos), China Section 301, MFN base duty, or the current Section 301 forced-labor tariff / EU 15% deal rate.
Illustrative example only: $50,000 of IEEPA-period imports of Clothing from China at the published 20% IEEPA rate carried about $10,000 of IEEPA duty. That IEEPA layer — plus statutory interest (6–7% compounded daily under 19 CFR 24.36) — is what CAPE can refund. Your actual figure comes from your 7501s, not this example.
Have not filed
Only the Importer of Record can claim the IEEPA layer through CAPE.
How to claim an IEEPA refundAlready filed
Status is in ACE (REV-615), not a shopping-site tracker.
Check CAPE status · When money arrivesOverview on the tariff-refunds hub. Phase 3 for finally liquidated entries launches October 6, 2026 for CIT plaintiffs only. Illustrative analysis — not a guaranteed amount.
Contingency filing via Tariff Recovery Today (powered by Irongate), in partnership with Master Plan. No recovery, no fee. Not legal advice.
China remains the world's largest clothing exporter to the United States, but tariffs significantly impact landed costs. As of August 2026, clothing imports from China face a total effective rate of approximately 36.5%.
The tariff structure breaks down as follows: a 16.5% average MFN (Most Favored Nation) base rate applies to most garments under HTS chapters 61-62. On top of this, China-specific Section 301 tariffs add 7.5% (List 4A), and the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff (which replaced the 10% Section 122 rate when it expired July 24, 2026 — China is in the 12.5% tier) brings the total to approximately 36.5%.
Before the Supreme Court ruling, Chinese clothing faced even higher rates — the IEEPA reciprocal tariff was 20% (10% reciprocal + 10% fentanyl surcharge), making the old total closer to 44%. The SCOTUS ruling reduced the base from 20% to 10%, saving importers roughly 10 percentage points.
Rates vary by specific garment type and material. Cotton knit shirts (HTS 6109) may face slightly different rates than synthetic woven jackets (HTS 6202). Silk garments generally carry higher MFN rates (up to 20%), while some cotton basics may be lower. Always verify the exact HTS classification for your specific products.
For importers looking to reduce costs, Vietnam (29% total), Bangladesh (26.5%), and India (26.5%) offer lower total rates since they are not subject to the additional China-specific Section 301 tariffs. Mexico offers 0% for USMCA-qualifying goods — the best available rate. However, China's manufacturing infrastructure, speed, and quality control often justify the tariff premium for many apparel categories.
The 10% Section 122 tariff expired July 24, 2026 at its 150-day limit and was replaced the same day by the two-tier Section 301 forced-labor tariff — China is in the 12.5% tier. In August 2026, 25 states sued at the Court of International Trade to block the forced-labor tariff, but CBP continues collecting it while the case proceeds. Importers should monitor both the litigation and legislative developments and consider pre-purchasing strategies.
Clothing Tariffs by Country: Where It’s Cheapest to Import in 2026
China ranks #12 of 12 major clothing sources by effective US tariff. Cheapest first — click any country for its full breakdown.
| Source country | 2026 rate | vs. China |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 0% | 36.5 pts cheaper |
| Mexico | 0% | 36.5 pts cheaper |
| South Korea | 10% | 26.5 pts cheaper |
| Indonesia | 13.4% | 23.1 pts cheaper |
| Philippines | 15.9% | 20.6 pts cheaper |
| Thailand | 15.9% | 20.6 pts cheaper |
| Turkey | 15.9% | 20.6 pts cheaper |
| Italy | 16.5% | 20 pts cheaper |
| Bangladesh | 26.5% | 10 pts cheaper |
| India | 26.5% | 10 pts cheaper |
| Vietnam | 29% | 7.5 pts cheaper |
| China (this page) | 36.5% | — |
Effective 2026 rates for typical goods in this category (MFN base + the Section 301 forced-labor tariff that replaced Section 122 on July 24, 2026, plus Section 301/232 where they apply). Your exact duty depends on the specific HTS code — Canada is currently the lowest-tariff major source at 0%. Tariffs are one input; weigh freight, lead time, and quality too.
Calculate Your Clothing Duty from China
Search by product name or HTS code — the same lookup as the HTS code finder, then we stack 2026 country layers. Prefer a category estimate? .
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total tariff on clothing from China in 2026?
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