The tariff classification, country of origin determination and status under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) laminated filter bags made of woven fiberglass and felted polyester from Costa Rica

N358577 March 5, 2026 CLA-2-59-OT:RR:NC:N2:352 CATEGORY: Classification, Origin, Trade Programs TARIFF NO.: 5911.90.0080; 7019.90.1100 William Dyer W.L. Gore & Associates 100 Airport Road Elkton, MD 21921 RE: The tariff classification, country of origin determination and status under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) laminated filter bags made of woven fiberglass and felted polyester from Costa Rica Dear Mr. Dyer: This is in reply to your letter dated February 5, 2026, requesting the classification, country of origin and status under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) determination for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) laminated filter bags made of woven fiberglass and felted polyester, which will be imported into the United States. Samples and photos were provided to this office and will be retained for training purposes. FACTS: Item #4427, described as “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is a tubular filtration component with an ultrasonically welded seam constructed of felted polyester fabric and laminated with a polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane. The “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag” is designed for use in jet-style dust collectors in chemicals, minerals, metals, power generation and incineration (waste-to-energy) processing applications. The filter bag features a sewn end-cap disc cover at the bottom and an open top featuring a sewn cuff finished edge composed of laminated polyester felt fabric. The cuff is encased with a stainless-steel ring, ensuring structural integrity and a leak-proof, gasket-like seal against the metal cell plate. The filter bag weighs 543 g/m2 (16 oz/yd2) with a maximum operating temperature of 135-degree Celsius and has a bursting strength of 4654 kPa (675psi). The sample filter bag measures approximately 99 inches in length by 5 inches in diameter and is imported finished, ready to use. Item #3650, described as a “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is a tubular filtration component with a sewn seam constructed of woven fiberglass fabric and laminated with a polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane. The “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag” is designed for use in jet-style dust collectors in chemicals, minerals, metals, power generation and incineration (waste-to-energy) processing applications. The filter bag features a sewn end-cap disc cover at the bottom and an open top featuring a sewn cuff finished edge composed of a laminated woven fiberglass fabric. The cuff is encased with a stainless-steel ring, ensuring structural integrity and a leak-proof, gasket-like seal against the metal cell plate. The filter bag weighs 746 g/m2 (22 oz/yd2) with a maximum operating temperature of 260-degree Celsius and has a bursting strength of 6205 kPa (900psi). The sample filter bag measures approximately 234 inches in length by 7 inches in diameter and is imported finished, ready to use. The manufacturing operations for Item #4427, described as a “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag” (felted polyester) are as follows: United States Polyester filament is extruded and cut into staple fibers. Polyester felted fabric is formed by needle punching. Polyester scrim fabric is formed. ePTFE membrane film is formed. Polyester thread is formed. Polyester scrim fabric is inserted between the two layers of polyester felted fabric and all three layers are needle punched together. The ePTFE membrane is thermally laminated to the three-layer fabric. The finished combined laminated felt fabric is shipped in rolls under subheading 5602.11, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and sewing thread is shipped in spools under subheading 5404.19, HTSUS, to Costa Rica. China Stainless steel metal rings are manufactured. Stainless steel metal rings are shipped to Costa Rica. Costa Rica The completed fabric is cut into panels and shapes forming the end cap and cuff fabrics. The panels are shaped tubularly and ultrasonically welded at the seam. The end cap fabric is sewn on one end, and a metal ring is encased into the cuff sewn on the other end. The finished filter bags are packaged and shipped to United States. The manufacturing operations for Item #3650, described as a “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag” (fiberglass) are as follows: Taiwan Raw material for glass fibers are produced. Glass fibers/yarn are manufactured. Glass fiber yarns are spooled and shipped to United States. United States Fiberglass yarn is woven into fabric. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane film (ePTFE) is manufactured. 100 percent polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) sewing thread is manufactured. Finished woven fiberglass fabric and (ePTFE) membrane film are rolled and shipped to Germany. 100 percent ePTFE sewing thread is shipped to Costa Rica under subheading 5404.19, HTSUS. Germany Woven fiberglass fabric and (ePTFE) membrane film are heat bonded together. Finished laminated woven fiberglass fabric are rolled and shipped to Costa Rica. China Stainless steel metal rings are manufactured. Stainless steel metal rings are shipped to Costa Rica. Costa Rica Laminated woven fiberglass fabric is cut into panels and sewn in tubular shapes. Laminated woven fiberglass fabric is cut into shapes forming end cap and cuffs. Laminated woven fiberglass fabric end cap is sewn on one end and a metal ring is encased into cuff sewn on the other end. Finished laminated woven fiberglass filter bags are packaged and shipped to United States. ISSUE: What is the classification, country of origin and status under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) of the subject merchandise? CLASSIFICATION: Based on the provided information, the applicable subheading for Item #4427, Gore® High Durability Filter Bag, a felted polyester with a laminated ePTFE membrane filter bag, will be 5911.90.0080 (HTSUS), which provides for “Textile products and articles, for technical uses, specified in note 8 to this chapter: Textile fabrics and felts, endless or fitted with linking devices, of a kind used in papermaking or similar machines(for example, for pulp or asbestos-cement): Other: Other.” The general rate of duty will be 3.8 percent ad valorem. Based on the provided information, the applicable subheading for Item #3650, Gore® High Durability Filter Bag, a woven fiberglass with a laminated ePTFE membrane filter bag, will be 7019.90.1100 (HTSUS), which provides for “Glass fibers (including glass wool) and articles thereof (for example, yarn, rovings, woven fabrics): Other: Woven.” The general rate of duty will be 4.8 percent ad valorem. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN - LAW AND ANALYSIS: Section 334 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”) (codified at 19 U.S.C. 3592), enacted on December 8, 1994, provides the rules of origin for textiles and apparel products for purposes of the customs laws and the administration of quantitative restrictions, unless otherwise provided by the statute, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after July 1, 1996. Section 3592 has been described as Congress’s expression of substantial transformation as it relates to textile and apparel products. Section 102.21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (19 CFR 102.21), implements the URAA. The country of origin of a textile or apparel product shall be determined by the sequential application of the general rules set forth in paragraphs (c)(1) through (5) of section 102.21. See 19 CFR 102.21(c). Paragraph (c)(1) states, “The country of origin of a textile or apparel product is the single country, territory, or insular possession in which the good was wholly obtained or produced.” As the subject merchandise is not wholly obtained or produced in a single country, territory or insular possession, paragraph (c)(1) of Section 102.21 is inapplicable. Paragraph (c)(2) states, “Where the country of origin of a textile or apparel product cannot be determined under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the country of origin of the good is the single country, territory, or insular possession in which each of the foreign materials incorporated in that good underwent an applicable change in tariff classification, and/or met any other requirement, specified for the good in paragraph (e) of this section:” Paragraph (e) in pertinent part states, The following rules shall apply for purposes of determining the country of origin of a textile or apparel product under paragraph (c)(2) of this section: HTSUS Tariff shift and/or other requirements 5911.90 (3) If the good is a made up article other than a good of yarn, rope, cord, or braid, a change to subheading 5911.90 from any heading, including a change from another good of heading 5911, provided that the change is the result of the good being wholly assembled in a single country, territory, or insular possession. 7019.61-7019.90 A change to subheading 7019.61 through 7019.90 from any other subheading, provided that the change is the result of a fabric-making process. The term “wholly assembled” is defined in 102.21(b)(6) as follows: The term “wholly assembled” when used with reference to a good means that all components, of which there must be at least two, pre-existed in essentially the same condition as found in the finished good and were combined to form the finished good and were combined to form the finished good in a single country, territory, or insular possession. The “fabric-making process” is defined in 102.21(b)(2) as follows: A fabric-making process is any manufacturing operation that begins with polymers, fibers, filaments (including strips), yarns, twine, cordage, rope, or fabric strips and results in a textile fabric. Based on the information provided, Item #3650, Gore® High Durability Filter Bag (woven fiberglass with a laminated ePTFE membrane filter bag), classified under subheading 7019.90 formed in a single country, that is, the United States; therefore, as per the terms of the tariff shift requirement, country of origin is conferred as the United States. Based on the information provided, Item #4427, Gore® High Durability Filter Bag, of felted polyester, classified under subheading 5911.90, is not wholly assembled in a single country, territory, or insular possession; therefore, section 102.21 (c)(2) is inapplicable, and we proceed to paragraph (c)(3). Paragraph (c)(3) states, Where the country of origin of a textile or apparel product cannot be determined under paragraph (c) (1) or (2) of this section: (i) If the good was knit to shape, the country of origin of the good is the single country, territory, or insular possession in which the good was knit; or (ii) Except for fabrics of chapter 59 and goods of headings 5609, 5807, 5811, 6213, 6214, 6301 through 6306, and 6308, and subheadings 6307.10, 6307.90, 9404.90, and 9619.00.31-33 if the good was not knit to shape and the good was wholly assembled in a single country, territory, or insular possession, the country of origin of the good is the country, territory, or insular possession in which the good was wholly assembled.” As the subject merchandise under subheading 5911.90 is neither knit to shape, nor wholly assembled in a single country, Section 102.21 (c)(3) is inapplicable. Paragraph (c)(4) states, “Where the country of origin of a textile or apparel product cannot be determined under paragraph (c) (1), (2) or (3) of this section, the country of origin of the good is the single country, territory, or insular possession in which the most important assembly or manufacturing process occurred.” Customs and Border Protection has generally held that the most important assembly or manufacturing process, as it pertains to textiles, is the fabric-making process as defined in Section 102.21 (b)(2). Since the polyester fabrics for the outer shell components (body, cuff, and end cap) of the Gore® High Durability Filter Bag (Item #4427) is manufactured entirely within the United States, the country of origin is conferred as the United States. DR-CAFTA ELIGIBILITY: General Note 29, HTSUS, sets forth the criteria for determining whether a good is originating under the DR-CAFTA. General Note 29(b), HTSUS, (19 U.S.C. § 1202) states, in pertinent part, that, For the purposes of this note, subject to the provisions of subdivisions (c), (d), (m) and (n) thereof, a good imported into the customs territory of the United States is eligible for treatment as an originating good under the terms of this note if— (i) the good is a good wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the parties to the Agreement; (ii) the good was produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the parties to the Agreement, and— (A) each of the nonoriginating materials used in the production of the good undergoes an applicable change in tariff classification specified in subdivision (n) of this note; or (B) the good otherwise satisfies any applicable regional value content or other requirements specified in subdivision (n) of this note; and the good satisfies all other applicable requirements of this note; or (iii) the good was produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the parties to the Agreement exclusively from originating materials. Items #4472 and #3650 are not wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of one or more DR-CAFTA countries and therefore are not eligible for treatment as originating goods pursuant to GN 29(b)(i). Instead, pursuant to GN 29(b)(ii), we look to the applicable tariff shift rules set forth in GN 29(n). The Chapter rule for Item #4472, classified in subheading 5911.90.0080, HTSUSA, provides: 6. A change to heading 5911 from any other chapter, except from headings 5111 through 5113, 5208 through 5212, 5310 through 5311 or 5407 through 5408 or 5512 through 5516. Based on the facts provided, Item #4427, the “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” qualifies for DR-CAFTA preferential treatment under HTSUS General Note 29(b)(ii)(A). The manufacturing process for US-formed components includes polyester felted fabric (Heading 5602), ePTFE membrane (Heading 3921), and polyester sewing thread (Heading 5404). Because these materials undergo the required tariff shift and the final assembly occurs within Costa Rica, a DR-CAFTA member nation, the product satisfies all rules of origin. Therefore, Item #4427 is eligible for a duty-free rate of entry, under the DR-CAFTA upon compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and agreements. The Chapter rule for Item #3650, classified in subheading 7019.90.1100, HTSUSA, provides9. A change to heading 7019 from any other heading, except from headings 7007 through 7020. 9. A change to heading 7019 from any other heading, except from headings 7007 through 7020. Based on the facts provided, Item #3650, described as a “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is ineligible for DR-CAFTA preferential treatment, because it does not meet the requirements of HTSUS General Note 29(b)(ii)(A). Specifically, the non-originating Taiwan fiberglass yarn fabric is classified in heading 7019 and does not undergo the required tariff shift under heading 7019. HOLDING: The country of origin of the Item #3650, described as “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is the United States pursuant to 19 CFR 102.21(c)(2) and Item #4427, described as “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is the United States pursuant to 19 CFR 102.21(c)(4). Item #4427, the “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is classified in subheading 5911.90.0090, HTSUSA, which provides for “Textile products and articles, for technical uses, specified in note 8 to this chapter: Textile fabrics and felts, endless or fitted with linking devices, of a kind used in papermaking or similar machines(for example, for pulp or asbestos-cement): Other: Other.” Item #4427 qualifies for DR-CAFTA preferential treatment. Item #3650, described as a “Gore® High Durability Filter Bag,” is classified in subheading 7019.90.1100, HTSUSA, which provides for “Glass fibers (including glass wool) and articles thereof (for example, yarn, rovings, woven fabrics): Other: Woven.” Item # 3650 is not eligible for DR-CAFTA preferential treatment. If a good is determined to be an article of U.S. origin, it is not subject to the country of origin marking requirements of 19 U.S.C. §1304. Whether an article may be marked with the phrase “Made in the USA” or similar words denoting U.S. origin, is an issue under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). We suggest that you contact the FTC Division of Enforcement, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580 on the propriety of proposed markings indicating that an article is made in the U.S. The holding set forth above applies only to the specific factual situation and merchandise description as identified in the ruling request. This position is clearly set forth in Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 177.9(b)(1). This section states that a ruling letter is issued on the assumption that all of the information furnished in the ruling letter, whether directly, by reference, or by implication, is accurate and complete in every material respect. In the event that the facts are modified in any way, or if the goods do not conform to these facts at time of importation, you should bring this to the attention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and submit a request for a new ruling in accordance with 19 CFR 177.2. Additionally, we note that the material facts described in the foregoing ruling may be subject to periodic verification by CBP. This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Part 177 of the Customs and Border Protection Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177). A copy of the ruling or the control number indicated above should be provided with the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If you have any questions regarding the ruling, please contact National Import Specialist Nicole Rosso at nicole.rosso@cbp.dhs.gov. Sincerely, (for) James Forkan Designated Official Performing the Duties of the Division Director National Commodity Specialist Division