Flax; broken or scutched, but not spun

HS v2017 Code: 530121

About flax; broken or scutched, but not spun

HS code 530121 covers flax that has been broken or scutched, but not yet spun into yarn. Flax is an important natural fiber used in the production of textiles, including linen fabrics. As a versatile and renewable resource, flax plays a significant role in the global textile industry and has applications across various sectors, from apparel to home furnishings.

Production process

The production of flax fiber involves several key steps. First, the flax plants are harvested and the stems are retted, a process that separates the fibers from the woody core of the plant. The retted stems are then broken and scutched, which further separates the long, strong flax fibers from the shorter, weaker fibers and impurities. This process results in the flax fiber in its raw, unspun form, as described by HS code 530121.

Production inputs

The primary input for the production of flax fiber under HS code 530121 is the flax plant itself. Flax cultivation requires specific climatic conditions and soil types, and the plants are typically grown in temperate regions. In addition to the raw flax material, the production process may also require specialized machinery and equipment for retting, breaking, and scutching the flax stems.

Production outputs

The primary output of HS code 530121 is the broken or scutched flax fiber, which is then typically consumed by industries producing 530911 Woven fabrics of flax or 530921 Woven fabrics of flax, containing 85% or more by weight of flax. These flax fibers may also be further processed and spun into 530710 Yarn of flax or used in the production of other flax-based products.

Revisions to 530121

Classification codes are adjusted frequently. The code may have been revised or replaced between system versions. The table below shows the history (newest to oldest) of the code 530121. The most recent 1 version of this code (530121) is in the HS v2022 system:

This page shows a legacy version of code 530121 ( HS v2017).

Newer versions
Older versions

Family tree for flax; broken or scutched, but not spun

    graph LR
    A["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/53'>53: Vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn</a>"]
A --> B["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/5301'>5301: Flax, raw or processed but not spun; flax tow and waste (including yarn waste and garnetted stock)</a>"]
B --> C["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/530121'>530121: Flax; broken or scutched, but not spun</a>"]

    B --> D["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/530110'>530110: Flax; raw or retted, but not spun</a>"]
B --> E["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/530129'>530129: Flax; hackled or otherwise processed, but not spun</a>"]
B --> F["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2017/530130'>530130: Flax; tow and waste, including yarn waste and garnetted stock</a>"]

    

    %% Color coordination by level

    classDef level1 color:#000,fill:#a8f9ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    classDef level2 color:#000,fill:#e0a458,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level3 color:#000,fill:#419d78,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level4 color:#000,fill:#c04abc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level5 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level6 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef highlight color:#000,fill:#fff,stroke:#000,stroke-width:5px



  %% Apply classes
  class A level2
class B level4
class C level6
class D level6
class E level6
class F level6

  class C highlight

  %% class A level1
  %% class B,C level2
  %% class D,E,F,G,H,I level2
  %% class J,K,L,M,N,O,P level3
  %% class C highlight