Jessica Dickler | April 14, 2025
- Few consumer goods are immune from the effects of new tariffs on imported goods, but apparel may be among the hardest hit.
- The U.S. gets 97% of clothing and shoes from other countries, a report by the American Apparel & Footwear Association found.
- Tariffs “will be passed along to the end consumer,” says the National Retail Federation’s executive vice president of government relations, David French.
- Most consumers have already started to change their shopping habits accordingly.
Few consumer products are immune from the impact of new tariffs on goods imported into the United States, but apparel may be among the hardest hit.
A trade war could significantly raise the price of clothing for consumers. Since a large portion of U.S. clothing and shoes are imported, tariffs on those goods would increase the cost for both the importers and, ultimately, the consumer, experts say.
“The 2025 tariffs disproportionately affect clothing and textiles, with consumers facing 64% higher apparel prices in the short-run,” according to forecasts by the Yale University Budget Lab. “Apparel prices will stay 27% higher in the long-run.”
For now, the Trump Administration has opted for a universal tariff rate of 10%. Earlier this month, the White House imposed 145% tariffs on products from China. President Donald Trump recently granted exclusions from steep tariffs on smartphones, computers and some other electronics imported largely from China.
“We are concerned about the escalating trade war with China. Ultimately no one wins,” said Julia Hughes president of the United States Fashion Industry Association.