NY 866629
September 18 1991

CLA-2-96:S:N:N1:236 866629

Ms. Gloria Faircloth
Vice President
Southern Overseas Corporation
P.O. Box 2323
Savannah, Ga 31402-2323

RE: The tariff classification of Lint Brushes from Hong Kong

Dear Ms. Faircloth:

In your letter dated August 29, 1991 you requested a tariff classification ruling on the following brushes:

1. New Magic Brush is a lint brush approximately 9 1/4 inches long by 2 inches wide.

2. Magic Brush is a lint brush approximately 10 inches long by 2 1/4 inches wide. The brush has a release button which enables the brush portion to be rotated 180 degrees.

3. Trip-let (the 3 in 1 Brush) is a composite article having a clothes brush, lint remover, and shoe horn attached to a common handle. It is approximately 10 1/4 inches long by 2 1/4 inches wide.

4. Travel Brush is a 3 in 1 composite article having a bristle clothes brush, a lint remover, and a swivel shoe horn. In a closed position, the composite article measures approximately 5 1/4 inches long by 1 3/4 inches wide by 1 3/4 inches deep. When the shoe horn swivels out, the composite article is 9 3/4 inches long.

Headquarters has ruled that cloth lint brushes having distinct tufts or knots of flexible fibers causing a brushing action rather than a wiping action are classified as brushes.

The essential character of the composite articles are the clothes brushes. The applicable subheading for the above four brushes will be 9603.90.8050, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for other brushes. The rate of duty will be 5.6 percent ad valorem .

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the transaction.

Sincerely,

Jean F. Maguire
Area Director
New York Seaport