The broader impact of tariff hikes has already begun to reshape the home furnishings industry. Higher tariffs were an added hurdle, resulting in unsustainable costs for materials and components.
by Xinhua writers Tan Jingjing, Huang Heng
LAS VEGAS, July 30 (Xinhua) — At North America’s premier furniture trade show, exhibitors voiced growing alarm over escalating U.S. tariffs, warning that mounting trade barriers are disrupting global supply chains and forcing businesses to rethink sourcing strategies.
The 2025 Las Vegas Market summer show, running from Sunday to Thursday, has drawn participants from across the globe in the home furnishings and gift industries to showcase the latest trends and foster cross-border partnerships. Yet behind the vibrant displays and bustling aisles, an undercurrent of anxiety about U.S. trade policy disruptions dominated private discussions among manufacturers and retailers.
Exhibitors voiced concern over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariff hikes, warning that the widening scope and scale of duties could destabilize long-standing supply chains and threaten small businesses already operating on thin margins.
“Many of my friends are struggling,” Verona Pierre, owner of a marble home decor business based in Dallas, Texas, told Xinhua. “A lot of their merchandise from China and other parts of Asia hasn’t even arrived — they couldn’t afford the containers anymore because of the tariffs. It affects everyone in the industry.”
Small and family-run businesses are particularly vulnerable. Satish Bawa, co-founder of Trovelore, a Phoenix-based handmade jewelry brand, said the company’s India-produced accessories have already been hit with a 10 percent tariff increase — a direct blow to their bottom line.
“We’re still trying to see if we can survive,” Bawa told Xinhua. “We’ve reduced our profit margins — about 50 percent we absorb, 50 percent we pass to customers. But if tariffs continue to rise, we can’t sustain. We’re a family business, and the whole industry is being impacted.”
Facing these headwinds, companies are adopting new strategies to manage the added financial burden.
Dutch homewares brand Doing Goods has begun splitting larger shipments into multiple parcels to remain under the 750 U.S. dollars threshold for U.S. tariffs.
“So imagine you order with us and it’s an order of 3,000 U.S. dollars. What we do is split the orders and we ship them out in different parts because we want to avoid tariffs,” said Yalda Badher, a sales representative of the company.
She noted that while some retailers have long used this method to avoid customs charges, the brand now employs it routinely for all shipments due to the current tariff environment.
For firms reliant on unique materials and traditional craftsmanship, however, relocation or supply diversification is not a viable solution.
Tom Jung of Legend Accents, a high-end porcelain brand based in Carson, California, said their ceramics are produced exclusively in Jingdezhen, China — a region renowned for its distinctive clay and master artisans.
“We cannot produce these anywhere else,” Jung explained, noting the materials and skills are irreplaceable. Facing tariffs of up to 35 percent, the company has had to raise prices modestly, sharing the cost burden with buyers and warning of mounting strain on both businesses and consumers.
A similar challenge confronts Lily’s Living, a Gardena-based company specializing in traditional Chinese wooden and ceramic furniture. Lily Quan, CEO and designer of the firm, said the brand depends on rare, aged wood from northern China and highly specialized craftsmanship that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
“Our U.S. customers value the authenticity and design, and the materials are scarce. We can’t relocate our production or optimize for cost,” Quan said.
The broader impact of tariff hikes has already begun to reshape the industry. According to media reports, legacy U.S. furniture brands like Howard Miller Company and Hekman, two Michigan-based furniture makers with long histories, have announced closure. Higher tariffs were an added hurdle, resulting in unsustainable costs for materials and components.
“No one can escape the impact of the ever-changing trade policies,” Nelson, a representative of Phillips Collection, an innovative, handcrafted furniture and decor brand based in North Carolina, told Xinhua.
He noted that the company is closely monitoring developments ahead of the new tariff rates scheduled to take effect on Aug. 1.
“We hope the trade environment will stabilize,” he said. “Only then can the industry move forward with confidence and a clear path to growth.” ■
U.S. tariffs policies cast shadow over home furnishings at Las Vegas Market show
