New York City’s famous clothing district has influenced like President Trump Customs Bargain It will begin to spread the apparel industry.
For Lyn and Lisa Alessi, co-founders and co-CEOS of Alessi International, the local fabric importers representing factories in Asia and Europe, tariffs can pose a major challenge to their business.
“I put the brakes on all our customers and say, ‘What are we going to do? How are we going to handle this? Where can we move production?”
According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, 97% of the clothing and shoes sold in the United States are imported. According to the World Bank, most of these items come from China, India and Vietnam.
On Thursday, the Trump administration confirmed that while some Chinese goods face so-called “mutual tariffs” reach 145%, imports from Vietnam and India face tariffs of 46% and 27% respectively. Mr Trump Customs duty has been suspended Most countries can increase trade consultation time for 90 days, but China’s taxation remains the same.
The new US tariff onslaught has raised import taxes to the highest level for over a century. Domestic manufacturers.
For Alessi’s sisters, this additional import tax affects almost every aspect of garment production, which increases the costs for businesses and consumers. They predict this will lead to shoppers looking for alternative clothing options.
“Veronica’s beard jacket was $800. It’s now $1,000. It’s removing it from the market. The second-hand market will flourish,” Alessi said.
The block from Alessi International is Appelel Production, a manufacturing group that has survived the ups and downs of the industry since its founding in 1948. The company co-owned by Karen Sadaka and Tedisada is working with brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Kenneth Cole, but most plants are closed as dressed.
“We had factories in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky,” Karen Sadaka said. “That wasn’t a problem. They’re all out of business today.”
Today, the average age of apparel-producing workers is 50 years old, and filling those jobs when they retire is likely to prove challenging. Sadaka said she has too many sons to tell her whether Trump’s tariffs will promote domestic production, but she fears the shift will be “too fast.”
Kelly O’Grady contributed to this report.
