Tariffs Are Raising Costs for a Michigan Manufacturer Making Products in the U.S.

A small manufacturer in Michigan designs and produces sewn products in the United States, supporting U.S. jobs and building products locally. Like many manufacturers, the company sources inputs from a mix of U.S. and international suppliers. But some of the materials they need simply aren’t available in the U.S. today.

When tariffs raise the cost of those essential inputs, the impact is immediate. The added costs don’t reflect a change in how or where the company manufactures — they reflect a lack of domestic alternatives for key materials.

As the company explained:

“We buy inputs from all over the world, including the U.S. However, many things we need I cannot get today from the United States. Increasing the costs of our inputs makes it even tougher.”

For this Michigan business, tariffs don’t encourage reshoring or new sourcing. They increase costs on materials that must be imported, squeezing margins and making pricing decisions more difficult.

Their experience highlights a broader issue facing U.S. manufacturers: when tariffs apply to inputs that don’t have domestic substitutes, they function as a direct cost increase — even for companies that already produce here.

📢 If your small business has been affected by tariffs, consider sharing your experience through We Pay the Tariffs. These voices help show how tariffs affect manufacturers committed to producing in the United States.