Nearly all respondents are taking or planning to take measures including canceling shipments, shifting sourcing and reducing workforces
ROSEMONT, IL (May 20, 2025) – Companies that sell home and housewares products continue to struggle with substantial tariffs, according to a new survey of International Housewares Association (IHA) members. The survey shows 87% have been impacted significantly (97% have been impacted significantly or somewhat), and many have already canceled product shipments, increased retail prices and/or reduced their workforce.
“While the recent 90-day reduction in the 145% tariffs from China was a welcome development, this survey demonstrates the ongoing, substantial impact of tariffs on home and housewares companies – and ultimately, retailers and consumers,” said Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO. “Our members are telling us the current landscape is extremely challenging and making it very difficult for their businesses to succeed.”
Key survey findings on how companies have already responded include:
- 90% have delayed or cancelled product shipments.
- 72% have absorbed cost increases.
- 62% have increased retail prices.
- 27% have reduced their workforce.
- 47% have shifted manufacturing to other foreign countries.
- 8% have shifted manufacturing to the United States.
Key findings on how companies anticipate having to respond include:
- 74% anticipate delaying or canceling product shipments in the future.
- 54% anticipate absorbing cost increases.
- 41% anticipate having to reduce their workforce.
- 60% anticipate shifting manufacturing to other foreign countries.
- 13% anticipate shifting manufacturing to the United States.
The survey also shows that most home and housewares companies currently manufacture their products in China.
When asked the top three countries where they manufacture products, 93% selected China. That was followed by India (24%), Vietnam (20%), Taiwan (8%), EU and Europe (7%), Indonesia (7%), Thailand (5%) and Mexico (3%).
Common Perspectives
Many member companies also shared insights including the difficulty matching both the price and quality of Chinese manufacturing, the uncertainty surrounding the changing tariff levels and the speed at which they were implemented, and the residual economic impact on their employees and service partners.
Some of these comments include:
“Although we launched our business in 2020 with the intention of manufacturing our products in the USA, it became apparent early on that we needed to source where the cost/value/quality far exceeded what we could get in our own country,” said Ann Marie Mendlow, president and co-founder of U.S.-based Werkshoppe. “Extreme tariffs are an unfair and unreasonable burden to place on an entrepreneurial small business. We can neither absorb these cost increases nor pass them on to our retailers and customers.”
“We are operating in a dense fog until definite trade deals are made – we cannot know what our costs will be,” said David McClees, president of Talus Products. “It takes months to find reliable, quality resources, produce and ship product. Supply chains are long, and we expect stock-outs, higher prices and turmoil ahead.”
“We have been doing business and employing hundreds of Americans for over 40 years,” said Paul Cosaro, CEO of Picnic Time, Inc. “These tariffs may very well force us to reduce headcount, not increase it.”
“Even with the overseas manufacturing, the domestic value of our supply chain is overlooked. For every $100 a customer spends on our products, at least $75 stays in the USA,” says Michael Taylor, founder and CEO of Brod & Taylor. “Attempting to domestically produce all categories of consumer appliances would significantly raise costs, putting basic household products out of reach for many American families.”
IHA’s member base includes companies that sell small appliances and home goods from cookware and coffee makers to serving pieces and storage solutions.
Respondents represented a sample of member companies, with 11% of respondents having more than 500 employees, 3% having 201-500, 13% having 51-200, 49% having 10-50, and 25% having less than 10. 123 housewares professionals completed surveys between May 5-12, 2025.
IHA Resources and Support
Over the last two months, IHA has introduced several new initiatives to help members navigate the latest developments on tariffs. To date, the Association has held three webinars with updates, resources and strategies from IHA’s Washington D.C.-based government affairs office, freight logistics service provider TQL and industry veteran Luke Peters.
IHA also partnered with Quickcode to provide discounted access to their AI-powered tariff compliance software and developed a digital advocacy campaign to connect U.S. housewares suppliers with congressional representatives about tariff concerns. The Association is also organizing a sourcing trade mission to India in October.
A complete list of these initiatives and resources – including U.S. manufacturers, bonded warehouses, and the latest news and updates – can be found in the new Tariff Resources section of IHA’s website.
Editor’s note: Infographics with survey data are also available.
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The International Housewares Association (IHA) is the 87-year-old voice of the home and housewares industry, dedicated to bringing buyers and sellers together. IHA hosts the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, in Chicago every March. Each year, the Show brings together more than 2,000 unique brands and 300,000 products with both global and domestic buyers; U.S.-based attendees alone represent more than 100,000 retail locations and over $64 billion in buying power. The not-for-profit, full-service Association also offers member companies a wide range of services including industry and government advocacy; export assistance; trend reports; executive management peer groups; group buying discounts; and an independent news and information platform, HomePageNews.com.
