After the current U.S. administration unveiled sweeping tariffs on imports from all countries, many Americans brace themselves to pay more for daily goods.
Under this recent proclamation, tariffs increase to 10% across all countries, with rates reaching up to 50% for a select few. Tariffs are taxes imposed on goods imported from other countries—companies that rely on foreign products pay these taxes, and that cost often gets passed down to the consumer.
It's no secret that much of what we buy today depends on outsourcing. With the new tariff structure, the goods expected to be most affected include clothing, shoes, coffee, chocolate, electronics, automobiles, and furniture—nearly everything made beyond U.S. borders.
But here's what's important to understand: the tariffs only apply to imports. So how do they affect goods made entirely within the U.S., using only locally sourced materials? Ideally, they don't. Truly local products are tariff-free by default.
As prices rise, this may be the moment to look around more closely at locally sourced and handmade products.
Local and Handmade are Always Tariff-Free
One key advantage of buying locally sourced and made products is the short supply chain. This is often best illustrated by the farm-to-table model, where there is no more than one intermediary between the farmer and the consumer. Each step is close, tangible, and relatively unaffected by global forces.
Let's look into furniture, with IKEA, perhaps the most-recognized and largest furniture company today. The majority of its products sold in the U.S. have traveled thousands of miles and are built from timber and other materials sourced from all over the world. They are mainly manufactured overseas, in countries like China, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Lithuania. This means that an IKEA wooden table, for example, has gone through a long supply chain involving multiple intermediaries. As it’s likely imported, it’s subject to higher fees with the recently imposed tariffs, potentially driving up its final retail price.
Handcrafted from locally sourced cherry and walnut, the Enso Buffet reflects the beauty and integrity of local materials.
Compare this with a piece of furniture handmade by local artisans using domestically sourced. It's already here—the material and the craftsman. Any amount of travel is significantly more limited, without the need to cross oceans or pass through customs–which is how it's mainly shielded from tariff-related price volatility. An example is T.Y. Fine Furniture, where every piece is made by hand in Columbus, Ohio. All lumber is sourced from within Ohio, and nearly every material used is sourced exclusively within the state.
Supporting Local Matters Now More Than Ever
Tariffs are a double-edged sword. While the administration frames them as a necessary strategy to protect and reprioritize domestic manufacturing, many small businesses—especially those using imported components—will suffer. They will feel the brunt more acutely, even with partial tariff exemptions.
However, domestic brands that source locally and build locally have the potential to benefit from these changes. With shorter supply chains, these businesses can be more resilient in the face of tariff increases and are often better positioned to maintain their prices or make only slight adjustments when necessary. They can offer a slice of stability.
But these businesses need support, especially now. Many consumers, accustomed to purchasing from familiar global brands, may overlook viable, high-quality alternatives that exist just around the corner. Maybe now is the time to look more closely and see what's being made in your community. Who are the local makers? What do they have to offer?
Without ignoring or minimizing the risks posed by the recent tariff hike, it's also important to recognize that businesses that source and manufacture locally do help create jobs and reinvest more directly in their communities. In times of uncertainty, small-time American businesses quietly endure and tirelessly contribute to the local economy, even when it's not in the scale of the imagined new golden era. They hold the line—and they need our support now more than ever.
Source:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/which-products-most-affected-tariffs/
Made in the USA — Trump's New Tariffs Could Hit 90% of IKEA Products | Wood Central
ec.europa.eu/enrd/sites/default/files/rdp_analysis_m16-4.pdf