Paints and varnishes: U.S. export markets
U.S. exports of paints and varnishes (HS 3208) totaled $1.6 billion in 2025, shipped to 157 countries and territories. The largest market was Canada, with $595 million (36% of the total, Fromerica calculation). From January–July 2026, exports were $1.1 billion, up 8.1% from the same months of 2025.
What HS 3208 covers
Heading 3208 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule: “Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a nonaqueous medium; solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter.”
Top export markets
The 25 largest buyers of U.S. paints and varnishes in 2025, with the change so far this year. Countries with a link have a Fromerica export guide.
| # | Country | 2025 | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | $595M | ▲ +4.0% |
| 2 | Mexico | $406M | ▲ +3.1% |
| 3 | China | $93.4M | ▼ −15% |
| 4 | Japan | $44.3M | ▲ +14% |
| 5 | Brazil | $37.9M | ▼ −12% |
| 6 | South Korea | $31.6M | ▲ +23% |
| 7 | Colombia | $29.6M | ▲ +28% |
| 8 | India | $29.1M | ▲ +282% |
| 9 | Taiwan | $23.2M | ▼ −37% |
| 10 | Belgium | $22.3M | ▼ −5.1% |
| 11 | Germany | $22.0M | ▲ +12% |
| 12 | United Kingdom | $19.7M | ▲ +7.5% |
| 13 | Netherlands | $19.0M | ▲ +7.5% |
| 14 | Australia | $18.0M | ▲ +6.5% |
| 15 | Costa Rica | $16.9M | ▼ −47% |
| 16 | Singapore | $16.8M | ▲ +23% |
| 17 | Trinidad and Tobago | $13.5M | ▲ +7.9% |
| 18 | Thailand | $12.2M | ▲ +16% |
| 19 | United Arab Emirates | $11.6M | ▼ −4.4% |
| 20 | France | $11.4M | ▲ +0.7% |
| 21 | Dominican Republic | $10.9M | ▲ +66% |
| 22 | The Bahamas | $10.3M | ▲ +17% |
| 23 | Israel | $10.0M | ▲ +1.2% |
| 24 | Hong Kong | $7.6M | ▼ −27% |
| 25 | Peru | $7.3M | ▼ −41% |
Fastest-growing large markets
Among the top markets with at least $1 million in January–July 2025, these grew the most in January–July 2026 (Fromerica calculation): India (+282%, $67.9M), Dominican Republic (+66%, $10.5M), Colombia (+28%, $19.9M), Singapore (+23%, $12.0M) and South Korea (+23%, $23.0M).
States that ship the most
By state of origin of movement: where the goods started their trip to the port, not necessarily where they were made.
| # | State | 2025 | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $193M | ▼ −2.7% |
| 2 | Texas | $161M | ▲ +5.2% |
| 3 | Illinois | $152M | ▼ −24% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $127M | ▼ −1.7% |
| 5 | California | $115M | ▲ +18% |
| 6 | Kentucky | $83.7M | ▼ −10% |
| 7 | Michigan | $78.0M | ▲ +8.8% |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $75.0M | ▲ +51% |
| 9 | Indiana | $67.9M | ▲ +9.6% |
| 10 | Florida | $54.1M | ▼ −11% |
| 11 | New Jersey | $50.7M | ▲ +14% |
| 12 | Missouri | $39.7M | ▼ −15% |
| 13 | Virginia | $33.7M | ▲ +27% |
| 14 | North Carolina | $29.9M | ▲ +25% |
| 15 | Georgia | $26.1M | ▼ −7.5% |
Next steps
Data source and notes
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
- Export values: U.S. Census Bureau, International Trade data (census.gov/foreign-trade), free-alongside-ship (FAS) value in current U.S. dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Latest month available: July 2026. Retrieved 2026-09-26. Figures are shown as published, rounded for display (on a computer, hover over a table value to see the exact figure). The Census Bureau revises past months, and we refresh the data every month.
- Shares, year-over-year changes and rankings are Fromerica calculations based on these figures. Product names come from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (U.S. International Trade Commission) heading for each 4-digit code.
- Fromerica is an independent company, not affiliated with any government agency. This page is for information only and is not legal, trade or investment advice.
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