‘Very problematic’: US apparel bosses say Trump’s tariffs will hurt Americans

An aerial photo shows cargo ships carrying containers and raw materials sailing close to Shanghai container terminal, in Shanghai, China, on 18 April 2025. Photograph: Alex Plavevski/EPA

Across the US, many executives leading apparel and textiles businesses are scratching their heads.

Tariffs of 145% on goods from China, and tariffs of 10% on goods from much of the rest of the world, have been billed by the White House as a once-in-a-generation efffort to boost domestic manufacturing.