Sleeves don't elevate a blanket to an article of clothing. That's the gist of the ruling this month from the U.S. Court of International Trade, which sided with the comfy and convenient fleece product's importer, Allstar Marketing Group, over the Department of Justice's claim the Snuggie should be classified as apparel for tariff purposes. As a result, importers will pay an 8.5 percent tax when bringing the Snuggie into the U.S. instead of a 14.9 duty reserved from garments. In its defense, the Justice Department said the Snuggie is "akin to 'clerical or ecclesiastical garments and vestments' and 'professional or scholastic gown and robes' because those garments 'have wife-armed sleeves and flow loosely around the body.'" Allstar, however, said the Snuggie is classifiable as an "enhanced or 'improved' blanket with 'sleeves,'" hearkening to the product's marketing and pointing to the dictionary definition of blanket, which isn't defined in legislative history. Ultimately, Judge Mark Barnett found the Snuggie has the "essential characteristics" of a blanket and the sleeves" support, rather than detract" from its use as a blanket. After being introduced in 2008, the Snuggie became a phenomenon for its commercials and the variety of designs, as well as the kitsch factor of the handy blanket. It