The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, in a letter dated April 29, called on the Trump administration to exempt footwear from the proposed tariffs, which could significantly raise consumer prices and lead to business closures.
The letter was signed by several major companies, including Nike Inc., Under Armour Inc., Puma SE and Adidas' U.S. subsidiary.
The petition notes that tariffs “will not bring footwear manufacturing back to the U.S.,” because they require “significant capital investment and years of planning to reallocate supply.” The companies argue that they will not be able to absorb the additional costs while simultaneously rethinking their business models to favor domestic production.
Vietnam and Indonesia are among the countries facing the biggest tariff increases. Vietnam produces nearly half of Nike's shoes, indicating the scale of the potential disruption.
In late April, President Trump announced a 90-day suspension of several proposed tariffs, including those targeting Vietnam and Indonesia.
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