Manufacturer

The Manufacturer is the party that produced, manufactured, or grew the imported merchandise. On U.S. import filings, the manufacturer is identified by a Manufacturer Identification Code (MID) — an alphanumeric code derived from the manufacturer's name and address using a standardized algorithm published by CBP.

The MID is required on every entry summary and is used by CBP to:

• Track country of origin and supply chain provenance
• Enforce antidumping and countervailing duty orders, which often apply differently to specific producers
• Screen for UFLPA and other forced-labor concerns
• Validate first sale valuation claims, which require a true factory-level seller
• Determine eligibility for preferential trade programs (USMCA, GSP, etc.)

For textile and apparel merchandise, the U.S. requires the manufacturer's MID on every shipment — and CBP scrutinizes textile MIDs more closely than most other commodities due to the historical risk of transshipment and false origin claims.

When goods pass through multiple producers (e.g., yarn producer → fabric weaver → garment manufacturer), the "manufacturer" for customs purposes is typically the entity that performed the substantial transformation conferring the country of origin. Misdeclaring the manufacturer — whether to disguise origin, evade AD/CVD, or qualify for a preferential rate — can lead to Section 1592 penalties and criminal prosecution.