CN code 560121 covers cotton wadding and articles made of cotton wadding, including hygiene products such as cotton pads, swabs, medical dressings, and industrial-grade wadding. The wadding may be bleached or unbleached, supplied in rolls, sheets, or moulded forms. Under the Notes to Chapter 56 of the Combined Nomenclature, this heading covers only wadding made from natural cotton fibres, excluding synthetic blends. The classification distinguishes between raw wadding and finished hygiene or medical products, which may trigger additional regulatory requirements. Importers should provide fibre composition documentation with their customs declaration to confirm the cotton content and support the tariff classification under code 560121.

Cotton wadding imported into the EU falls under the Textile Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 for fibre composition labelling. Where the product is intended for medical purposes, such as wound dressings, the Medical Devices Regulation MDR (EU) 2017/745 applies, requiring CE marking and appropriate risk classification. Cotton wadding used as personal protective equipment is subject to the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425. REACH regulation requirements apply regarding restricted substances in textile articles, particularly azo dyes and formaldehyde. Importers of medical cotton wadding must ensure compliance with EN ISO 14079 on cotton wadding for medical use and hold an EU declaration of conformity for the product.

When clearing cotton wadding under CN code 560121, correctly determining the country of origin is essential, as cotton products are subject to specific origin rules under EU free trade agreements. Importers should verify whether the supplying country is subject to EU anti-dumping or countervailing measures on cotton products. Import documentation should include a fibre composition certificate and, for medical wadding, the CE certificate and declaration of conformity. Transport of cotton wadding requires protection against moisture and contamination, and for large quantities of raw wadding, phytosanitary procedures may apply. It is advisable to check current duty rates in the TARIC system, as GSP tariff preferences may be available for developing countries.

CN code 5601 21 covers cotton wadding and articles of cotton wadding. Cotton wadding is used in medicine, cosmetics, personal hygiene and as textile filling. Importing medical wadding products requires compliance with the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR). Cosmetic wadding falls under the EU Cosmetics Regulation. Classification depends on fibre type – synthetic wadding falls under CN 5601 22.