How 2025–2026 US Tariffs Affect Your Workwear Sourcing Budget
The short answer
US duty on Chinese workwear is no longer a single percentage. It is a stack: the standard MFN rate for the garment heading, plus additional trade measures applied to Chinese-origin goods, plus any product-specific action. Depending on the heading, that stack can take the effective duty from single digits to well over 30%.
That means the only safe way to budget is to ask your broker for the current total duty rate for your specific HS code and origin, then run the sensitivity table in section 4 so you know what happens if it moves again.
Last updated: September 2026.
Key takeaways
- Budget for a range, not a number. Build your model so it survives a 10–20 point change.
- The heading decides the base rate. Trousers, jackets, T-shirts and vests sit at different MFN rates.
- De minimis no longer protects small shipments the way it did before 2025; low-value consignments can now attract duty.
- Duty is charged on CIF value, so freight increases duty as well as cost.
- The three legitimate levers are classification, origin and value engineering — not under-declaration.
1. The structure of US apparel duty today
| Layer | What it is | How it varies |
|---|---|---|
| MFN base rate | The standard US rate for the HS heading | From about 8% up to 32% depending on the garment |
| China-specific trade measures | Additional duties applied to Chinese-origin goods | Introduced, amended and extended repeatedly since 2018 |
| Reciprocal or emergency measures | Measures applied under executive authority in 2025–2026 | Changed several times and vary by date of entry |
| Exclusions and exclusions expiry | Product or programme-specific relief | Time-limited and must be claimed correctly |
| De minimis treatment | The US$800 exemption was restricted for affected origins in 2025 | Now materially limits small-parcel planning |
Because layers interact, two garments with the same fabric can face very different totals.
2. What this does to a workwear order
Worked example: 1,000 work jackets, US$12 FOB each, 6 m³, shipped to a US warehouse.
| Line | At a 12% effective duty | At a 25% effective duty | At a 40% effective duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | $12,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Freight and insurance | $900 | $900 | $900 |
| CIF value | $12,900 | $12,900 | $12,900 |
| Duty | $1,548 | $3,225 | $5,160 |
| Clearance and delivery | $450 | $450 | $450 |
| Landed total | $14,898 | $16,575 | $18,510 |
| Per jacket | $14.90 | $16.58 | $18.51 |
| Increase over FOB | +24% | +38% | +54% |
On a US$2.20 hi-vis vest the same duty stack is devastating: at 25% effective duty, duty alone adds US$0.55 per vest — a quarter of the factory price.
3. Where the money can still be saved
| Lever | Typical impact | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Correct HS classification | 3–15 points in some brackets | Requires documentation and discipline |
| Sourcing from a non-China origin | Can remove China-specific layers | Higher unit price, new certification |
| Consolidating shipments to spread fixed costs | 2–5% of landed cost | Longer lead times |
| Reviewing Incoterms and the importer of record | 1–5% | DDP hides the duty breakdown |
| Duty drawback on re-exported goods | Recovers duty on exports | Administration and eligibility |
| Value engineering the garment (lighter packing) | 1–4% of landed cost | Product compromises |
What is not a lever: under-declaring value, mis-describing the product or splitting shipments to avoid thresholds. Penalties, seizure and loss of import privileges cost far more than the duty.
4. Build a tariff sensitivity model in five minutes
Before you sign a purchase order, calculate the landed cost at three duty scenarios — for example 15%, 25% and 40% — and confirm that your selling price and margin still work at the highest one.
Then decide:
- If the product works at 40%, proceed and bank the difference if rates fall.
- If it only works at 15%, hold the order or renegotiate with the customer before shipping.
- If it fails at all three, the issue is your selling price or your origin, not your supplier.
5. Frequently asked questions
Are there tariffs on workwear from China?
Yes. Chinese-origin apparel has faced additional US duties on top of the standard MFN rate since 2018, with further measures introduced in 2025–2026. The total depends on the garment's HS code, the programme in force and the date of entry.
How much duty will I pay on imported uniforms?
It depends on the heading and the measures in force. Ask your broker for the current total rate for your HS code, then model landed cost at several scenarios. Do not budget from a blog article, including this one.
Does the US$800 de minimis exemption still apply?
Treatment of low-value shipments changed significantly during 2025 for affected origins. Small parcels that previously entered duty free may now attract duty, so verify the current rule before planning small shipments.
Can I avoid the tariffs by shipping through another country?
No. Duty follows the origin of the goods, not the route. Transhipping without substantial transformation is a customs offence and carries severe penalties.
Would sourcing from Vietnam or Bangladesh remove the additional duty?
It may remove China-specific layers, but standard rates and any country-specific measures still apply, and unit prices are usually higher. Model the full landed cost for each origin before switching.
How do I protect my budget from further tariff changes?
Build the business case at a higher duty scenario than today, ask suppliers for price validity windows, keep classification documentation on file, and review the duty position before every shipment.
Get a tariff-aware quotation
Send us your product, quantity and US delivery address, and we will quote FOB and DDP, showing the freight and duty lines separately so you can model the duty scenario yourself within 24 hours.
