Silk yarn and yarn spun from silk waste; put up for retail sale, and silk-worm gut

HS code 500600 covers a range of silk-based textile products, including silk yarn, yarn spun from silk waste, and silk-worm gut. The silk industry is a vital component of the global textile trade, valued for its luxurious feel, durability, and natural luster. These silk-based products find widespread use in high-end apparel, home furnishings, and various industrial applications, making this code an important part of the broader textile and fashion economy.

The production of silk yarn and related products involves several key steps. First, silk fibers are harvested from silk-worm cocoons through a process called reeling. The raw silk is then spun, twisted, and plied to create silk yarn. For silk waste yarn, the leftover fibers from the reeling process are carded, combed, and spun into a usable yarn. Finally, the silk yarn and silk-worm gut are prepared for retail sale, often by winding onto spools or skeins.

The primary input for this industry is raw silk, which is obtained from silk-worm cocoons. Other key inputs include specialized machinery for silk reeling, spinning, and plying, as well as dyes, finishes, and packaging materials. The industry also relies on a skilled workforce capable of handling the delicate silk fibers and operating the required equipment.

The main outputs of this industry are silk yarn, yarn spun from silk waste, and silk-worm gut, all of which are put up for retail sale. These products are then consumed by a variety of downstream industries, including 520100 Woven fabrics of silk or of silk waste and 610700 Men's or boys' underpants, briefs, nightshirts, pajamas, bathrobes, dressing gowns and similar articles, knitted or crocheted, as well as industrial applications such as 700190 Glass in the mass; waste and scrap of glass, excluding glass from cathode-ray tubes or other activated glass, where silk-worm gut is used.