HS Codes for Men's Apparel: Trousers, Shirts and Jeans

By the Global StockLot sourcing team · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read · Request a quote

What is an HS code and who assigns it?

The Harmonised System is a six-digit international product nomenclature maintained by the World Customs Organization and used by more than 200 countries. The first six digits are identical worldwide. Individual territories extend them to eight or ten digits for their own tariff and statistical purposes.

The exporter proposes a code on the commercial invoice and packing list. The importer declares it to customs. Customs in the destination country makes the binding determination, and the importer of record carries the liability if it is wrong. A supplier's suggestion is a starting point, not a defence.

Two extensions matter for the markets covered here. The European Union uses the eight-digit Combined Nomenclature, extended to ten digits in TARIC for measures such as anti-dumping duty. The GCC states apply the eight-digit GCC Common Customs Tariff. Both share the same first six digits, so a correct HS-6 classification transfers between them; the national digits do not. Confirm the heading before quoting for twill and chino trousers, because fibre content and construction decide it.

Which HS codes apply to men's trousers?

Men's woven trousers, shorts and breeches fall under heading 6203, split by material. Cotton is 6203.42, synthetic fibres 6203.43, wool 6203.41 and other materials 6203.49. Denim jeans are classified as cotton trousers under 6203.42, not under a separate denim heading.

Cotton denim and cotton chino share a heading because the classification follows fibre and construction, not styling. A cargo trouser, a chino and a pair of jeans in 100 percent cotton woven cloth are all 6203.42. The EU then separates denim at the eight-digit level, which is where the distinction reappears.

The blend rule decides the material column. Where a fabric is a blend, classification follows the fibre with the greatest weight. A 60 percent cotton, 40 percent polyester twill is cotton; a 48 percent cotton, 52 percent polyester twill is synthetic and moves from 6203.42 to 6203.43. That single percentage point is one of the most common reclassification triggers, and it is why the fabric composition on the invoice must match the fabric actually shipped. Our trouser production states composition by weight on every specification for exactly this reason. The same check applies to t-shirt manufacturing, where knitted garments sit under their own headings. Six-pocket cotton trousers, listed as six-pocket trousers, follow the men's trousers heading.

Which HS codes apply to shirts and t-shirts?

Woven shirts fall under 6205 — cotton is 6205.20, man-made fibres 6205.30. Knitted t-shirts and singlets fall under 6109, with cotton at 6109.10. Knitted shirts including polo shirts fall under 6105, with cotton at 6105.10.

The polo shirt is where classification goes wrong. A polo has a collar and a partial button placket, which makes it a knitted shirt under 6105 rather than a t-shirt under 6109. Declaring a polo as 6109.10 because it is a knit is a routine error, and customs catch it because the placket is visible in inspection.

The second recurring error is the hoodie. A hooded sweatshirt is a pullover under 6110.20, not a jacket under 6201, provided it has no full-length front opening with a weather-protective function. A zip-through hoodie in fleece remains 6110.20; a padded hooded jacket with a shell does not. Our hoodie and sweatshirt manufacturing specifications state construction explicitly so the invoice supports the declared heading.

Which HS codes apply to jeans and denim?

Denim jeans are cotton woven trousers under HS-6 6203.42, the same heading as cotton chinos. The EU separates them at eight digits under CN 6203 42 31 for men's cotton denim trousers, which is the code that appears on a European import declaration.

Denim receives no distinct treatment at the international six-digit level because the Harmonised System classifies by material and garment type, and denim is a cotton twill. The distinction exists in the EU nomenclature for statistical and measure-tracking purposes rather than because a different duty applies.

Where denim carries elastane, the blend rule still decides. Cotton at 97 to 99 percent with 1 to 3 percent elastane remains cotton and stays at 6203.42. A heavier synthetic content moves the classification, and that is worth checking at the specification stage rather than at the port, because denim weight and composition are set long before the invoice is written.

What causes customs to reclassify a consignment?

Reclassification is triggered by a mismatch between the declared code and the physical goods — a blend percentage that differs from the invoice, a knitted garment declared as woven, or a collared knit declared as a t-shirt. Physical inspection resolves it, and the importer pays the recalculated duty.

The five most frequent causes, in the order they occur:

• Blend percentage stated on the invoice does not match the fabric shipped, moving the garment between the cotton and synthetic subheadings.
• Construction is misdescribed, such as a knitted garment declared under a woven heading.
• Collar and placket on a polo are overlooked, placing it in 6109 instead of 6105.
• Gender coding is wrong, where a unisex style is declared under the men's heading and inspection reads it as women's.
• Set packaging is not declared, where a garment shipped as a two-piece set attracts a different treatment from its components.

Three controls remove most of this risk. Ask the supplier for the fabric test report and check the composition against the invoice before the container loads. Request a binding tariff ruling from customs for a code you will use repeatedly — the EU issues Binding Tariff Information valid for three years, and it removes the argument entirely. Keep the approved pre-production sample, because a physical reference settles a construction dispute faster than correspondence.

Where do HS codes fit when sourcing from Bangladesh?

Classification interacts directly with duty. Bangladesh currently ships to the European Union under duty-free access, so an incorrect code affects statistics and clearance time rather than the amount paid. Into the Gulf states, where a common external tariff applies, the code determines the rate, and an error costs money on every consignment until it is corrected.

We state fibre composition by weight, construction and garment type on every specification sheet and commercial invoice, and provide the mill's fabric test report with the shipment. That gives an importer the evidence to support the declared heading. Buyers who want certainty before the first order confirm the codes above against their own current national tariff, because national digits and duty rates change on a shorter cycle than the six-digit headings do. Jeans follow the trousers headings, so denim jeans manufacturing quotes carry the heading on the commercial invoice. Woven shirts take their own heading, and shirts currently in stock are classified on that basis.