Just in time for the holiday season, the U.S. Court of International Trade (“CIT”) recently held that certain components of a Santa Claus suit were of such quality that they should be subject to apparel duties, not the free duty assessed on costumes and other “festive articles.”
The articles at issue were imported by Rubies Costume Co. (“Rubies”) as a complete Santa Clause costume. Included in the “premier” set, which carried a retail price of $100, were red polyester and acrylic pants, jacket and hat – adorned with white faux fur, of course – white gloves, shoe covers, a belt, wig, beard, and sack. Upon importation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), evaluated each of the components and determined that the jacket and pants were classifiable under chapter 61 as “wearing apparel” and assessed duties of 32% and 28.2%, respectively. In addition, CBP determine that the gloves and sack were also subject to duties.
Rubies filed a protest, arguing that the Santa suit should be classified under heading 9505 as a “festive article” which in not ordinarily worn other than as part of Christmas festivities. Rubies argued that, like the other costumes that it imports, the Santa suit is worn by those who want to depict Santa Claus and any practical utility in the garments is merely incidental. CBP argued, essentially, that the articles are of such quality that they function as apparel and were appropriately classified as such.
The CIT defined the issue of the case as follows: “[t]he issue is not whether the Santa Suit is a costume or apparel as those terms are colloquially understood; rather, the issue is whether the Santa Suit is ‘fancy dress , of textiles, of chapters 61 or 62’ or a ‘festive article,’ as those terms are defined in the HTSUS and relevant case law, which is a legal question.” The Court focused on Chapter Note 1(e) to chapter 95 which states that “fancy dress, of textiles, of chapter 61 or 62” are barred from classification under chapter 95. In light of this unequivocal exclusion, the CIT needed only to determine whether the jacket and pants are properly classified as “fancy dress” under the law. The Court rejected the testimony of Rubies’ expert testimony regarding fashion theory and comparisons with couture gowns as the height of “fancy dress.” Instead, the CIT, in an extensive review of prior case law, determined that components of the Santa suit were above a threshold or floor of minimum quality to be properly considered “fancy dress.” Unlike cases where low quality costumes that lacked finished edges, closure hardware, or the general durability to be worn repeatedly were found to be “festive articles,” the Santa suit components were fully finished, listed as dry-clean only, and had stitching of ordinary durability. Accordingly, the CIT found that the jacket and pants met legal definition of “fancy dress” and, as such, were expressly excluded from classification under chapter 95. The CIT applied a similar analysis for the gloves and sack which were of similar quality.
Cases with familiar subject matter are great for headlines, but can also highlight important inconsistencies between ‘gut’ expectations and the legal outcome of a product classification. Most people may not hesitate in thinking that a Santa Claus suit, regardless of quality, is inherently a festive costume. However, as the CIT demonstrated, tariff classifications do not turn on colloquial definitions. Rather, as here, the legally binding chapter notes and precedential opinions defined the outcome in a manner that might surprise the casual observer. Experienced counsel can ensure that classification (and duty) expectations are consistent with prevailing law.
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