America’s largest shoe companies—including Nike, Adidas, Skechers, and Under Armour—are calling on President Donald Trump to reverse sweeping tariff hikes they say could devastate the footwear industry.
In a letter dated April 29, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), a trade group representing shoe brands, warned the White House that Trump’s so-called “reciprocal tariffs” pose an “existential threat” to businesses and consumers alike.
“These tariffs will not revive American manufacturing. Instead, they will destroy jobs, strain small businesses, and inflate costs for working families,” the group stated. Signed by 76 major brands, the letter appeals for immediate relief from tariffs the industry argues are unsustainable.
The tariffs, first announced on April 2, target imports from key manufacturing hubs like China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. While duties for Vietnam and Cambodia were temporarily reduced to 10% for a 90-day window, Chinese imports now face a punishing effective rate of 145%. Industry leaders warn that total footwear tariffs—already steep in many categories—could now surge to as high as 220%.
“Many companies making affordable footwear for hardworking lower and middle-income families cannot absorb tariff rates this high, nor can they pass along these costs,” the letter said. “Without immediate relief… they will simply shutter.”
The ripple effects are already being felt: orders have stalled, inventories are thinning, and warnings from companies like Adidas and Nike suggest consumer prices may soon spike. Nike’s CFO previously flagged that broader economic uncertainty and trade disruptions would likely dampen quarterly sales.
The FDRA emphasized that these tariffs come on top of longstanding duties, particularly for items like children’s shoes, where costs were already high. It also dismissed the administration’s claims that tariffs would encourage domestic manufacturing, stating that the abrupt and punitive changes make it impossible for companies to reconfigure sourcing strategies or invest in U.S. production.
“This is an emergency that requires immediate action and attention,” the group wrote. “The American footwear industry does not have months to adjust.”
