U.S. footwear industry unites again to oppose crushing tariffs

Not today — but a real risk ahead. Footwear companies caution that tariffs could push prices up and stock levels down. Image: by Tinashe Mandirahwe.

On 29 April 2025, more than 70 major footwear companies — including Nike, Adidas, Skechers, Puma, and Crocs — signed a joint letter to President Donald Trump, urgently requesting that footwear be removed from the list of products subject to new reciprocal tariffs. These companies warned that the added tariff burden poses a serious threat to the industry, American jobs, and consumers.

The footwear sector already faces some of the highest import duties in the U.S., with rates reaching 20%, 37.5%, or more — especially on low-cost and children’s shoes. The new tariffs come on top of those existing rates, pushing total import costs to as high as 150% to 220%.

Companies say these increases are impossible to absorb or pass on to consumers, especially with most shoes retailing between $30 and $50. The result could be widespread business closures, job losses, and sharp price hikes for working families.

The letter stresses that these tariffs won’t bring shoe production back to the U.S. Manufacturing footwear domestically requires long-term investment and planning — something impossible under such uncertain and costly conditions. To make matters worse, even the machinery and materials needed to manufacture shoes in the U.S. are also subject to tariffs. The industry warns it is facing an emergency and cannot wait months to adjust.

This is not the first time the U.S. footwear industry has united to protect its future. While it’s rare for so many companies to sign a joint letter, similar actions have taken place before:

In 2019, during the first Trump administration, over 170 footwear companies — including Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and Foot Locker — opposed proposed tariffs on shoes imported from China. Their joint letter highlighted the risk of higher prices and job losses. As a result, some shoe categories were eventually excluded from the tariff hikes.

In the 1990s and 2000s, industry groups like the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) pushed against long-standing high duties on low-cost shoes. Their efforts led to progress through Free Trade Agreements with countries like Vietnam and those in Central America, helping reduce or eliminate some tariffs.

These examples show a pattern: when the industry is threatened, it responds together. The 2025 letter is a continuation of that legacy. It sends a strong message — collaboration is key when policy decisions could damage the entire footwear ecosystem. The hope is that the administration will listen before irreparable harm is done.