Mastering Customs Descriptions: A guide to accurate and compliant filling

Starting November 12, 2024, it became mandatory for shipments to the USA to avoid including general descriptions on customer transmissions or labels. This is specifically for the USA, but proactively applying these standards will be beneficial for export to any country. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be conducting a risk analysis on goods entering the country. If goods are exported with generic descriptions, they may be stopped and subject to penalties.

1. Use clear and specific product names

Avoid generalizations like “clothing” or “makeup.” Instead, provide the specific type of item:

• Clothing: Rather than “women’s clothing,” specify the item:
  • "Women’s wool blazer" instead of "blazer."
  • "Men’s denim jeans, slim fit" rather than just "jeans."
• Cosmetics: For beauty and skincare products, be clear about the product type:
  • "Moisturizing face cream with SPF 30, 50ml" rather than just "face cream."
  • "Matte liquid lipstick, shade 'Cherry Red', 10ml" instead of simply "lipstick."

2. Include Materials and Fabrics

Customs authorities often need to know the material or fabric content of fashion items to determine duties, especially because different materials may have different tariff rates:

• Clothing: Always indicate the fabric type and composition:
  • "Men’s jacket, 80% wool, 20% polyester lining" instead of "men’s jacket."
  • "Women’s T-shirt, 100% organic cotton, short sleeves" rather than “T-shirt.”
• Accessories: For items like bags, belts, or shoes, be sure to mention the material used:
  • "Leather handbag, black, with gold-tone hardware" rather than “bag.”
  • "Suede high-heeled shoes" instead of just "shoes."
• Cosmetics: Highlight any key active ingredients or components:
  • "Hydrating serum with hyaluronic acid, 30ml" instead of just "serum."

3. Include Product Specifications

For fashion and cosmetics, product details like sizes, shades, and features are critical to ensure that customs officers understand the shipment content:

• Clothing and Footwear: Include information like size, fit, and style:
  • "Women’s skinny jeans, dark wash" instead of “women’s jeans.”
  • "Men’s running shoes, mesh upper, rubber sole" rather than “running shoes.”
• Cosmetics: Include volume, weight, and packaging details:
  • "Compact foundation, shade 'Warm Beige', 15g" instead of “foundation.”
  • "Perfume, 100ml, floral fragrance, glass bottle" instead of just “perfume.”

4. Avoid General or Vague Terms

Using vague descriptions like "beauty products" is not helpful for customs officers, and could result in delays. Instead, use complete descriptions for each type of item, even if they’re samples:

• Instead of "beauty products," write "hair conditioner, sulfate-free, 250ml bottle" or "eyeshadow palette, 12 shades, matte finish."

5. Differentiate Between Similar Products

If you are shipping multiple similar items, be sure to differentiate them by key characteristics such as size, color, and style:

• Clothing: “Women’s cashmere sweater, V-neck, size M, color grey” vs. “Women’s cashmere sweater, crew neck, size L, color black.”
• Cosmetics: “Moisturizing lotion, lavender scent, 200ml” vs. “Moisturizing lotion, unscented, 100ml.”

6. Compliance with Safety and Regulatory Standards (if applicable)

Many fashion and cosmetic products are subject to safety regulations (e.g., compliance with chemical restrictions in cosmetics or flammability standards in clothing). Indicating compliance may smooth customs clearance:

• Fashion: “Children’s pyjamas, 100% cotton, flame-resistant, compliant with ASTM safety standards.”
• Cosmetics: “Sunscreen SPF 50, paraben-free, dermatologically tested, FDA approved.”

7. Manufacturer Identification Code (MID)

Governmental source

Definition

MID code is one of the required information for import clearance into the U.S. It is used as an alternative to the full name and address of a manufacturer, shipper or exporter and is required for U.S. customs entries for certain shipments.

Where to insert it?

The MID code must be shown on the commercial invoice for import clearance of certain shipments. We advise merchants to add it to the product description field on the Bigblue app.

Add “MID code” before the actual reference to make sure it is visible by the customs authorities.

• Character limits
  • 105 characters with UPS
  • 450 characters with FedEx
  • 250 characters with Delivengo

Composition of the MID

Impacted product types

MID is required for textile and apparel products for commercial use and certain FDA related shipments.

• Here are the mainly impacted HS codes
• Merchants that might be requested to provide manufacturers’ info - Here

MID generation

To generate a Manufacturers Identification code (MID code), you need to make sure your manufacturer has provided their full business name and postal address.

Once you have all those details, you need to put together the MID code in the following order.

a. Country (Up to 2 characters).

• Identify the two-letter ISO code for the country.
• Eg. For China, the code is CN.

b. Manufacturer Name (Up to 6 characters).

• For a one-word manufacturer name, take the first three characters.
• For a manufacturer name with two words or more, take the first three letters of each of the first two words.
• Ignore these common words: “a”, “an”, “and”, “of”, “the”, and punctuation.

c. Address Line with street name and or Box Number (Up to 4 characters).

• Take the highest digits, up to four from the address line and or box number.
• Eg. No. 135 Zhongchun Road, the relevant number is 135.

Rules

• Ignore all punctuation, such as commas, periods, ampersands.
• Ignore all single character initials, such as the “S.”

Eg. Thomas S. Delvaux Company.

• Ignore the English words “a”, “an”, “and”, “of”, “the”.
• In the case where multiple company names and/or addresses appear on the invoice, use the name and address associated with the corporate headquarters as opposed to the division, office, etc.