Wholesale Reusable Bags Supplier: Tariff Guide (Updated July 2026)

Quick Answer

As of 24 July 2026, PP non-woven shopping bags imported into the United States under HTS 4202.92.31 pay a 17.6% MFN duty, plus a new Section 301 forced-labor duty of 10% or 12.5% depending on country of origin, plus a further 25% if the origin is China. There is no duty-free provision for standard PP non-woven shopping bags. The practical difference between origins is now large: roughly 55% all-in from China, roughly 30% from Vietnam, roughly 27.6% from Cambodia. BK-Bags supplies U.S. buyers from all three, with export documentation and origin support.

Key Takeaways

• Standard PP non-woven shopping bags are generally classified under HTS 4202.92.31 and pay the 17.6% MFN rate.
• On 24 July 2026 the 10% Section 122 global surcharge expired and was replaced the same day by new Section 301 forced-labor duties of 10% to 12.5% on about 60 economies.
• Vietnam is in the 12.5% tier. Cambodia is in the 10% tier. Neither gets an MFN offset.
• China pays the new 12.5% on top of the existing 25% China-specific Section 301, so the gap between China and Vietnam is roughly 25 percentage points.
• Compare total landed cost, not factory price.
• Confirm current tariff treatment with a licensed U.S. customs broker before every shipment. These rules changed three times in the past twelve months.

Demand for reusable grocery bags, retail totes and promotional giveaways keeps growing as U.S. cities, retailers and consumers move away from single-use plastic. For importers, though, sourcing reusable bags is not about finding the lowest factory price.

Tariffs, freight, classification and documentation decide the real landed cost. A quote that looks competitive on paper can look very different once duties and port charges are added.

The U.S. tariff picture has also changed faster in the last year than at any point in recent memory. Rates that were correct in January were wrong by March, and wrong again in July. That is the single biggest sourcing risk facing U.S. bag buyers right now, and it is why this guide is dated.

What Changed on 24 July 2026

Three things happened in sequence, and importers need all three to make sense of their current duty bill.

February 2026: the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs. On 20 February 2026, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, the Court ruled 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give the President authority to impose tariffs. That invalidated the reciprocal tariffs, including the 20% rate that had applied to Vietnam since August 2025, and opened refund claims estimated at around $175 billion.

February to July 2026: a temporary 10% surcharge under Section 122. The administration replaced the IEEPA tariffs with a flat 10% surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, effective 24 February. Section 122 caps a balance-of-payments surcharge at 15% and at 150 days unless Congress extends it. Congress did not. The surcharge expired at 12:01 a.m. EDT on 24 July 2026.

24 July 2026: new Section 301 forced-labor duties took effect the same minute. USTR imposed additional duties of 10% or 12.5% on imports from roughly 60 economies, covering about 99.4% of U.S. imports. The rate depends on whether the economy has adopted and enforced a prohibition on importing goods made with forced labor.

Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and thirteen other economies landed in the 10% tier. Vietnam and China are both in the 12.5% tier. Only the EU, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Switzerland received caps that offset the additional duty against the MFN rate. Vietnam and Cambodia did not, so for them the duty stacks on top of the normal rate.

“Customs tariffs change frequently. Buyers in any country must follow the updates and consult with their local broker to avoid last-minute surprises.”

Simmy Lin, General Manager, BK-Bags

What Are Wholesale PP Non-Woven Bags?

Non-woven bags are made from lightweight webbed polypropylene fabric rather than a traditional woven textile. The fibres are bonded with heat and pressure. The result is light, tear-resistant and easy to clean. Lamination adds real water resistance and print quality. Without lamination, the fabric handles a splash and not much more.

You see them as grocery carriers, retail packaging, trade show giveaways and promotional items. They are reusable, low cost at volume, and they take branding well.

When you source them, these are the specs that decide both price and classification:

• GSM thickness. Grams per square metre sets fabric strength. Most promotional bags sit at 80 GSM. Heavy-duty grocery bags need 100 to 120 GSM.
• Bag size. Dimensions vary widely depending on whether the bag carries one wine bottle or a week of groceries.
• Handle type. From simple die-cut handles to reinforced cross-stitched webbing handles for heavy loads.
• Printing method. Screen printing covers basic logos. Heat transfer and lamination are needed for full-colour photographic designs.
• Ultrasonic heat-sealed edges for budget bags, sewn seams for durability.
• Minimum order quantities at BK-Bags start from 2,000 units, depending on customisation.

For U.S. importers, the specification sheet matters more than most buyers expect. Small changes in construction, coating or material composition can change HTS classification and therefore the duty rate.

Understanding U.S. Tariffs on PP Non-Woven Bags

Most PP non-woven shopping bags imported into the United States fall under HTS heading 4202. The usual subheading is 4202.92.31, covering travel, sports and similar bags with an outer surface of man-made fibre textile material, commonly reported at the statistical level 4202.92.3131. The Column 1 general rate is 17.6%.

On top of that base rate, two separate Section 301 programmes may apply. They are often confused, and the difference is now worth real money.

• The China-specific Section 301 (Lists 1 to 4, from the 2018 technology transfer and IP investigation). Bags fall under List 3 at 25%. This applies to China-origin goods only. It remains in force in 2026, with USTR having opened the second statutory four-year review in May 2026.
• The forced-labor Section 301, effective 24 July 2026. This applies to roughly 60 economies at 10% or 12.5%, and it stacks on top of the Column 1 rate for economies without a cap.

Current duty stack by origin

Indicative rates for standard PP non-woven shopping bags classified 4202.92.31, current as of 28 July 2026. Rates exclude freight, MPF, HMF and any antidumping or countervailing duties. Confirm your own classification and rates with a licensed U.S. customs broker before shipment.

There is no duty-free provision for standard PP non-woven shopping bags. Temporary duty suspensions existed in the past under the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill programme, including provisions sometimes cited for bags, but that programme expired on 31 December 2020 and has not been renewed. Renewal bills have been introduced and none has passed.

To reduce customs risk, confirm:

• The correct HTS classification for your exact construction
• Country of origin and the documentation that supports it
• Whether coatings, lamination, zippers or metal parts change the classification
• Which Section 301 programmes apply to your origin
• Whether any Annex II product exclusion or economy-specific exemption applies
• That the commercial invoice matches the actual product specification
• That a licensed customs broker agrees with the proposed classification

Treat duty savings as a compliance-supported sourcing advantage, not a marketing claim. A supplier can provide product details and export documents. Final classification is the broker’s call.

How U.S. Buyers Can Verify HTS Treatment

Before placing a bulk order, run a short verification workflow. It prevents customs surprises and protects your landed-cost model.

1. Request a detailed product specification sheet from the supplier.
2. Confirm whether the bag is 100% PP non-woven or includes coatings, lamination, zippers, metal parts or other materials.
3. Ask the supplier for country-of-origin documentation.
4. Send the specs, sample images and invoice description to a licensed U.S. customs broker.
5. Ask the broker to confirm the current Section 301 treatment for that origin, including any Annex II exclusion.
6. Make sure the commercial invoice, packing list and product description are consistent.
7. Keep all supplier documentation in your import compliance file.
8. Re-check before each shipment. The rules changed three times in the past twelve months.

Small design differences change treatment. A plain PP non-woven shopping tote, a laminated promotional bag and an industrial packaging sack are not necessarily treated the same way at the border.

What Drives Wholesale PP Non-Woven Bag Prices

Basic 80 GSM non-woven totes generally range from $0.15 to $0.40 per unit factory-direct. Heavy-duty full-colour laminated grocery bags generally sit between $0.60 and $1.20. These are market ranges, not quotes.

The main cost factors:

• PP raw material price. Global resin prices move, and factory quotes move with them.
• GSM and fabric weight. Thicker fabric means more material and higher cost.
• Bag dimensions. Larger bags need wider fabric rolls and more stitching time.
• Print colours. A single-colour screen print is cheap. An eight-colour CMYK heat transfer costs significantly more to set up and run.
• Lamination or coating. Glossy or matte BOPP film adds durability and print quality, and adds unit cost.
• Order volume. Higher volumes spread setup costs.
• Freight and Incoterms. FOB or DDP decides who manages and pays for ocean transit and port fees.
• Tariff treatment. On a 4202.92.31 bag this is now between 27.6% and 55.1% of customs value depending on origin. It is usually the largest single variable in the landed cost.

That last point is worth sitting with. At current rates, the duty difference between a China-origin and a Cambodia-origin bag is larger than the entire factory price of a basic tote.

Landed Cost vs Unit Price

Many buyers compare only the quoted unit price. The better metric is total landed cost: everything it takes to get the bags delivered, cleared and ready for use in the United States.

A $0.30 bag can end up more expensive than a $0.35 bag if the cheaper option carries a worse origin, weaker documentation or quality problems.

China Plus One, and Why the “Plus One” Now Matters More

Relying entirely on one country is no longer a workable strategy for large U.S. importers. China Plus One reduces dependence on China-only sourcing and protects against sudden policy shifts and localised disruption.

Until this month, the argument was mostly about the 25% China-specific Section 301. That argument still holds and it is still worth roughly 25 percentage points.

What changed on 24 July is that the choice of “plus one” now carries its own price. Vietnam sits in the 12.5% forced-labor tier. Cambodia sits in the 10% tier. On identical bags, that is a 2.5 point difference in Cambodia’s favour before anything else is considered.

BK-Bags produces in Vietnam, China and Cambodia, which means the origin decision can be made on current rates rather than on whichever country a supplier happens to be tied to. Vietnam still offers the deepest capacity and the shortest lead times for most bag categories. Cambodia is worth modelling on large, price-sensitive runs where the 2.5 points matter more than lead time.

Flexible production locations across Asia also help you manage:

• Raw material availability. Shifting production to regions where PP resin is available and well priced.
• Freight cost. Choosing port departures based on current container rates.
• Lead time. Running fast-track orders in one country and bulk seasonal runs in another.
• Tariff exposure. Steering production toward the more favourable current treatment.
• Keeping retail lines stocked if a localised issue affects one region.

Why Choose BK-Bags as Your PP Non-Woven Bags Supplier

BK-Bags is a reusable bag supplier working with international B2B buyers across retail, grocery, promotional and packaging markets. Established in 2008 and headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, with a production office in Guangzhou, the company supplies PP non-woven bags, PP woven bags, rPET bags, cotton and canvas totes, cooler bags, FSC paper bags, mesh bags, bamboo bags and other reusable packaging.

For U.S. buyers, the practical advantages:

• Production across Vietnam, China and Cambodia, so origin can follow current tariff treatment
• Custom design, sizing, GSM, handle and printing support
• Sampling before bulk production
• Quality control on stitching, handles, printing and packing
• Export and origin documentation support
• Experience with retail, grocery, fashion, wellness and promotional buyers
• One point of contact, end to end

BK-Bags operates under FSC, BSCI, Sedex 2P and 4P, GRS and ISO standards, supporting buyers who need ethical sourcing, recycled-material claims and quality management documentation.

How to Order Custom PP Non-Woven Bags from BK-Bags

1. Choose bag size, GSM, colour and handle style.
2. Prepare logo artwork and printing requirements.
3. Request samples and compare material quality.
4. Confirm MOQ, lead time, Incoterms and shipping cost.
5. Review HTS classification and current tariff treatment with your customs broker.
6. Compare landed cost across available origins.
7. Approve the final sample.
8. Begin mass production.
9. Complete quality inspection before shipment.
10. Arrange freight and customs documentation.
11. Receive goods at your U.S. warehouse or final destination.

This sequence keeps quality under control and puts the landed-cost decision before the production commitment rather than after it.

Conclusion

PP non-woven bags remain a practical choice for reusable retail and grocery packaging. They are durable, cost-effective at volume and they carry branding well.

Optimising the purchase is no longer about negotiating pennies on the unit price. At current rates, duty is between 27.6% and 55.1% of customs value on a standard 4202.92.31 bag. Origin choice, correct classification and clean documentation move more money than the factory quote does.

There is no duty-free route for standard PP non-woven shopping bags, and any supplier claiming one is either mistaken or working from an expired provision. What is available is a real and defensible landed-cost advantage: roughly 25 percentage points by moving off China origin, and a further 2.5 points by choosing Cambodia over Vietnam where lead time allows.

Those numbers are current as of 28 July 2026. Given the last twelve months, check them again before your next shipment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are PP non-woven bags imported into the USA duty-free?

No. Standard PP non-woven shopping bags are generally classified under HTS 4202.92.31 and pay the 17.6% MFN rate, plus any applicable Section 301 duties. Previous temporary duty suspensions under the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill programme expired on 31 December 2020 and have not been renewed. Verify your classification and current rates with a licensed U.S. customs broker before shipment.

What is the import duty on non-woven bags from Vietnam to the USA?

As of 28 July 2026, roughly 30.1%: the 17.6% MFN rate under 4202.92.31 plus the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty that took effect on 24 July 2026. Vietnam did not receive an MFN offset, so the additional duty stacks on the base rate.

Did U.S. tariffs change in July 2026?

Yes. The 10% Section 122 global surcharge expired at 12:01 a.m. EDT on 24 July 2026 and was replaced the same minute by new Section 301 forced-labor duties of 10% or 12.5% on roughly 60 economies.

Is it cheaper to import bags from Vietnam or Cambodia?

On duty alone, Cambodia is currently cheaper. Cambodia is in the 10% forced-labor Section 301 tier and Vietnam is in the 12.5% tier, a 2.5 point difference on identical bags. Vietnam usually offers deeper capacity and shorter lead times, so the right answer depends on order size and schedule.

What is the HTS code for PP non-woven shopping bags?

Most are classified under 4202.92.31, covering travel, sports and similar bags with an outer surface of man-made fibre textile material, commonly reported at 4202.92.3131. Coatings, lamination, zippers or mixed materials can change the classification, so confirm with a broker.

What is the wholesale price of PP non-woven bags?

Price depends on size, GSM, printing, order quantity and freight. Basic factory-direct bags generally range from $0.15 to $0.40 per unit, well below domestic small-batch pricing. Laminated full-colour grocery bags generally run $0.60 to $1.20.

Is BK-Bags a U.S. supplier or an overseas supplier?

BK-Bags is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with production across Vietnam, China and Cambodia and a production office in Guangzhou. North American buyers are supported by the international export team, including export and origin documentation.

Can BK-Bags make custom logo non-woven bags?

Yes. BK-Bags supplies fully customisable reusable bags with tailored sizing, material weights and printing methods for retail, grocery and promotional packaging. MOQ starts from 2,000 units.

About the Author

Simmy Lin, General Manager, BK Bags

Simmy has been at the heart of BK Bags for over 10 years, with extensive experience in material development, production processes, and responsible packaging solutions. She works directly with retail brands and importers across the US, EU, Japan, and Australia to match the right material to each client’s product, compliance, and sustainability requirements.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simmylin-bkbags/