Seventy-six leading U.S. footwear companies, including Nike, Adidas America, and Skechers, have urged former President Donald Trump to exclude shoes from reciprocal tariffs in a joint letter. The appeal, organized by the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) and signed by major brands like Under Armour and VF Corp, warns that existing tariffs averaging 20%–37% on items like children's shoes could push businesses toward collapse if expanded.
The industry is reeling from Trump's sweeping April tariffs, which imposed a 145% levy on imports from the Chinese mainland—a critical manufacturing hub for global footwear. Adidas and Skechers cited trade policy unpredictability as a key reason for withholding annual financial forecasts, signaling broader market instability.
'American footwear businesses and families face an existential threat,' the letter emphasizes, advocating for a 'targeted approach' to tariffs that avoids penalizing everyday consumer goods. Analysts note that higher costs could disrupt supply chains across Asia, where many brands source materials and labor.
With over 200,000 U.S. jobs tied to the $80 billion footwear sector, the FDRA's plea highlights the ripple effects of trade policies on global markets. For Asian economies deeply integrated with manufacturing hubs, prolonged uncertainty could reshape investment strategies and regional trade dynamics.
