When you grab a new pair of tennis shoes at the store, the last thing on your mind is international trade tensions. But behind the scenes, ongoing US-China trade wars have quietly raised the price of everything from sneakers to sandals. These import taxes on shoes and shoe materials continue to influence how your footwear is made and how much you pay at checkout.
The Tariff Price Tag on Your Shoes
Tariffs are essentially taxes on imports, and since 96% to 99% of shoes sold in the US come from abroad, nearly every pair will be affected. President Trump launched a full-scale trade war against Chinese goods during his first term, targeting everything from electronics to footwear components.
Now, having returned to the White House after a dramatic political comeback, Donald Trump has not only upheld many of those tariffs but also doubled down, citing the need to protect American jobs and manufacturing. And in retaliation China too has imposed reciprocal tariffs.
Footwear, however, has been one of the hardest-hit industries. Materials like rubber outsoles, leather hides, and shoe molds—most of which come from Asian countries—are all subject to these imposed tariffs. That’s left footwear brands with a difficult choice: absorb the extra cost or pass it on to you, the shopper. Most have raised retail pricing instead. Some outdoor brands, for example, have increased prices by as much as 25% to stay operational.
It’s not just the final product under pressure. Before the first wave of tariffs on China, nearly 75% of all US shoe imports came from Chinese factories. However, with tariffs making Chinese production more expensive, many companies scrambled to shift manufacturing to other countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia.
This pivot, however, isn’t fast or cheap. It requires new relationships, new infrastructure, and time. In the interim, many importers kept sourcing from China while paying the extra costs. Some even rushed to stockpile inventory before new tariff deadlines hit—paying extra for expedited air freight to stay ahead of price hikes.
To make matters worse, footwear was already one of the most heavily taxed consumer goods in the US, even before this round of trade disputes. Thanks to decades-old tariff structures, simple children’s tennis shoes can carry as high as 68% base import duties. By contrast, luxury men’s leather shoes might only face an 8% tariff.
The “Made in USA” Loophole
Many shoppers look for a Made in USA product label, including footwear, assuming it’s the gold standard for domestic quality. Theoretically, a shoe boasting that label should be entirely or almost entirely made on American soil. In practice, however, there’s a gray area – a kind of loophole in labeling laws – that allows a product to be branded American-made even if some components are imported. The reality of modern shoemaking is that very few, if any, shoes are made 100% in the US from US-sourced parts.
The supply chain stretches too far across the globe. A boot might be cut and stitched together in a US shoe factory but still use foreign-made soles, buckles, or fabrics. Under Federal Trade Commission rules, companies can technically market a product as Made in USA as long as “all or virtually all” is of US origin – a phrase that leaves some wiggle room. Some manufacturers interpret this generously, especially when enforcement is lax.
What does this mean for you as a consumer? It means that the Made in USA stamp on your new boots might not tell the whole story. The gaps in labeling law can blur the true origin of a product’s parts. You might believe you’re buying an entirely all-American shoe when, in fact, significant pieces of it travelled halfway around the world to get to that final assembly stage.
This isn’t to say companies are scheming to mislead on purpose – rather, it reflects how globalized the manufacturing process has become. Certain materials or components aren’t readily available domestically in commercial quantities.
For instance, advanced foam cushioning for sneakers or specialty performance textiles might only be produced in Asia. A small US factory might have no choice but to import those inputs. They might rightly be proud of their US craftsmanship in assembling the shoe, and thus label it “Made in USA,” even if some parts were made abroad.
Transparency as a Value in Footwear
Trade wars and shifting tariffs have exposed how fragmented and opaque these supply chains are. It’s no longer enough for many consumers to see a label—they want to know where their shoes are made, what they’re made from, and who’s making them.
At COMUNITYmade, we’ve been thinking about that long before it became a trending topic. Our workshop sits in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, where we handcraft every pair in small batches. But what makes our approach different isn’t just geography—it’s intention. We believe people deserve to know what’s behind the product. That’s why we don’t hide the details.
For example, a lot of our leather comes from brand-new, unused steering wheel and car seat leather—salvaged from the car industry in Detroit and repurposed into sneakers. It’s high-quality, durable, and helps divert usable material from the waste stream. We could say “premium leather” and leave it there, but we’d rather tell you where it comes from and why we chose it. That’s how we think transparency should work: no buzzwords, smoke and mirrors, just facts.
Of course, being transparent doesn’t mean being perfect, or exempt from bigger industry pressures. Like many others, we rely on imported components for certain parts of the shoe. And when tariffs on Chinese goods go up, we feel it. The foam, adhesives, and even some of the tools we use are still global inputs. So while we proudly call our shoes made in USA, we’re also upfront that some materials cross borders before they land in our hands.
What You Can Do as a Consumer
One of the questions we get often is, “How can I support more ethical, local manufacturing?” Honestly, it starts with awareness. You don’t need to memorize tariff codes or become an expert on international trade policy. But being curious, and actually caring about where your shoes come from, is powerful.
We’ve seen firsthand how those questions matter here at COMUNITYmade. When someone asks us, “Where did this leather come from?” or “Do you make these here?” That’s when the real conversation begins. It tells us that people are paying attention, and that attention pushes the whole industry forward.
If you’re looking to support local or transparent production, here’s what we’d suggest:
Look past the label
Made in USA sounds great, but ask what that means. Was the shoe assembled here with imported parts? Or are the materials and labor sourced locally? You don’t have to interrogate every product, but checking a brand’s website or asking a simple question can give you much more clarity than the tag.
Support brands that share the whole story
If a company is open about where they make their shoes, who’s making them, and what they’re made from—even if the answer isn’t perfect—that’s a good sign. Transparency doesn’t mean perfection. It means they’re not hiding behind vague claims.
Choose quality over quantity
We know price matters. But often, one well-made pair of shoes that lasts you years is a better investment than three cheaper pairs that fall apart fast. It reduces waste, lowers your long-term cost, and often supports better behind-the-scenes practices.
Ask questions
You don’t need to grill a salesperson. A simple “Where was this made?” or “Do you know where the materials come from?” can go a long way. It pressures brands to know their own supply chains and be more accountable about them.
We’re not saying everyone needs to shop local 100% of the time. We get it—life is complicated. But every time you make a purchase, you can support something better. Something more thoughtful. Something more human. And in an industry shaped by unpredictable tariffs, shifting supply chains, and murky claims, that intentional choice carries more weight now, than it ever has.
