New York – The Home Fashion Products Association (HFPA) is urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to provide greater clarity on tariff frameworks and timelines following President Trump’s Aug. 1 tariff announcement.
Among the top three sourcing countries for home textiles, the rates now stand at 30% for China, 25% for India and 19% for Pakistan. Additional sourcing companies were given tariff hikes as well, including 15% tariffs for Turkey and Portugal.
The new rates are scheduled to take effect Aug. 7 – barring last-minute negotiations or further shifts from the White House.
In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the HFPA noted that “persistent abrupt changes” around future tariff rates and policy direction directly affects the organization’s members’ ability to plan, source materials and products, and price goods competitively.
“Additionally, by making it challenging to plan ahead, we are concerned that retailers will have more empty shelves and less product choice for the essential goods that we provide,” the letter stated. “This is especially concerning as the upcoming end of year holidays are critical for consumer spending and a major boost for the broader economy.”
HFPA president Charles Gaenslen also noted that the unpredictability makes it difficult to keep prices low for American consumers, “which is one of our top priorities.”
India, which had been producing under a temporary 10% tariff increase, suddenly saw its tariff rate jump to 25% on Aug. 1 – a measure Trump announced just 2 days earlier in retaliation for India purchasing oil and military equipment from Russia in the midst of Russian’s war on Ukraine.
The situation with China is also up in the air. Negotiators from the U.S. and China have yet to extend a 90-day pause on tariffs, which is currently set to expire on Aug. 12. Following talks between the two countries last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that Trump would have the final say on any renewal of the pause.
“Nothing is agreed until we speak with President Trump,” Bessent said at the time, calling the talks “very constructive.”