US EditionFootwear giants Nike, Adidas and others ask Trump for tariff exemption
- On April 29, 2025, a coalition of more than 70 U.S. Footwear companies, represented by the trade association FDRA, sent a letter to President Trump requesting that footwear be excluded from the newly implemented reciprocal tariffs.
- The request follows Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, which imposed steep reciprocal duties on footwear imports from countries like China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, triggering business uncertainty.
- The letter highlights that existing tariffs on children's and low-cost shoes reach up to 37.5%, with new tariffs stacking on top to result in rates from 150% to 220%, risking job losses and reduced consumer spending.
- Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden explained that because the company depends heavily on imports, the increased tariffs will lead to greater expenses across its entire product range in the US. The letter also described the situation as a critical issue demanding urgent intervention.
- The footwear industry warned the tariffs will undermine capital investment needed to shift sourcing or produce domestically and requested a targeted tariff approach focusing on strategic national security items.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Nike, Adidas, and other major sneaker brands urge Trump to spare shoes from ‘hurtful’ tariffs
Footwear manufacturers say they are “uniquely vulnerable” to the impact of tariffs. Frederic J. BROWN / AFP The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America trade group (FDRA) is calling on President Donald Trump to exempt footwear from new tariffs. More than 80 leading US footwear companies, including Nike, Adidas, and Skechers, addressed a letter to Trump urging him to protect their goods from tariffs. “Our industry is uniquely vulnerable,” th…
Nike, Adidas, and other major sneaker brands urge Trump to spare shoes from 'hurtful' tariffs
Footwear manufacturers say they are "uniquely vulnerable" to the impact of tariffs.Frederic J. BROWN / AFPThe US footwear industry is urging Trump to exempt shoes from new tariffs.Leading brands like Nike and Adidas are concerned about high costs and job losses.Brands warned that the shoe industry is "uniquely vulnerable" to the impact of Trump's trade war.The Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America trade group (FDRA) is calling on Presiden…
Footwear giants Nike and Adidas call on Trump to drop tariffs on shoes
Top footwear brands like Nike, Adidas, and Skechers are banding together to urge Donald Trump to ease off on shoe tariffs. In a letter dated April 29, the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) called on the former president to exempt footwear from the sweeping reciprocal tariffs he recently introduced. The appeal was signed by 76 major companies, including Under Armour, Capri Holdings, VF Corp, and Deckers Brands. The FDRA warned t…
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