Trump says prices can have an impact on the amount that parents buy for children
President Donald Trump says that prices on China can have an impact on the cost of children’s products.
- Tallahassee companies depending on Chinese imports are faced with uncertainty and rising costs due to the climbing of trade war rates.
- Some companies have absorbed the increases in initial prices but plan to transmit future costs to customers.
- Local owners express concerns about the disruption of the supply chain, the increase in costs and the difficulty of planning an unpredictable future.
- Several companies explore strategies to mitigate the impact of prices, including preventive order and absorption of internal costs.
Several owners of Tallahassee companies, depending on imports from China, say they have watched Volatile trade war Between the United States and hold its breath.
They absorbed spending and pivots when, from April 2, the Trump administration announced new 10% tariffs on imports from most other countries. However, tensions with the United States and China – both representing the biggest economies in the world by the gross domestic product (GDP) – have not yet dissipated.
From April 9, the United States imposed 145% prices on all imports from China, which retaliated with a 125% rate on imports from the United States
While the trade war heats up, business owners say they will analyze all the options to challenge their customers’ increases – knowing that it is a high probability.
“Our business world, representing various sectors, said that their greatest concern was to plan the unknown,” said Sue Dick, president and chief executive officer of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. “The supply chain, the overall costs of goods and the capacity to plan the endowment / hiring will be assigned following the prices offered.”
The Democrat of Tallahassee interviewed three local companies that say that most of their products and their inventory come from China or other countries abroad. Here is what they say about the state of their business in the light of the current trade war.
The full owner of press clothes claims that the effects of an increase in prices will be felt per summer
Tracey Shrine is preparing. Distributors of his business, complete press clothes, all say to expect price increases for products that the company uses a direct daily prices on China.
The head high is based on products which “have not yet struck the water,” said the sanctuary, which means items that have been shipped. She expects to start seeing these increases by June 1. In the meantime, the company alerts its customers to increase as we know them.
Press Full Apparel specializes in screen printing and personalized embroidery. Its customers manage the whole range: public schools, local universities, non -profit organizations and businesses, which can order 500 shirts for an agreement, and the company produces and ships orders across the country.
Product prices, said Shrine, will vary and will be able to change daily in normal circumstances.
“I would consider that this is a fair market value of everything the product is today,” said the sanctuary, adding that the company is trying to set prices with its suppliers to mitigate costs. “It’s a bit like lobsters … whatever the market value on the side of clothes.”
An example, she said, an increase in products, it was when she received a recently text from a distributor who declared that a film necessary for a specialized printing and rich in color increased by 32% on May 1.
“We have somehow ordered a lot of different products from a lot of different suppliers on our consumables when we have been informed of upcoming prices changes,” said Shrine, company with her husband, Danny Shrine. “We took advantage of the existing prices so that we can help normalize this increase.”
Awards4u: Prices are available because the longtime company has a record year in sales
The majority of the products used by the4U prices come from China or other countries affected by newly imposed prices, said Justin Varn, president and chief executive officer of the company.
Since January, the same month he has taken the bar after his father’s retirement, Varn said that the rates related to rates varied from 10% to 20%, depending on the country.
The raw materials alone have exerted “immense pressure on the company,” said Varn, the addition of virgin metal is used to make plates.
The other materials used are glass and acrylic, most of which come from abroad. The products are produced in Tallahassee and shipped nationally.
The trade war is presented under the name of award4u, which has a workforce of 40 employees and was a company of small basic properties for 38 years, had a record year of sales last year with great hopes for 2025.
“Over the years, you know, whenever we have seen an increase in prices and things, we have done our best to absorb this internal increase,” said Varn, adding that it can be more difficult if expenses are soaring. “(The prices) will have a significant and direct impact on our operations and, ultimately, our customers.”
When he was asked if he had to consider staff discounts, Varn said that it was not something that was ready to do since the company was on a regular path for growth.
“I would first look at other things that would be associated with the company,” said Varn.
“I care about our employees,” he continued. “It’s a big family for us and for me. I would make a price drop on my salary if it meant if I had to let someone go.”
Golden lighting owner: “It is impossible to know what will happen”
Golden Lighting, another family business based in Tallahassee, already noted increases induced by prices of 25%.
At the end of January and early February, the president of Golden Lighting, Yuh-Mei Hutt, said that the company saw an additional 20% on imports from China and other countries.
While discussions on the trade war increased, Hutt said that she and other members of the supply chain network provided increases but had never thought that there would be an additional 100% rate in addition to what has already been nailed.
“At the start, it was like:” Is it my worst nightmare? “Said Hutt.” I just told my whole team that we saw wide changes in the prices in 2019, and it was just as dramatic. So what I learned from this experience is that you had to stay calm and keep your head. “
She also put a temporary holt on shipments to “see if the administration was going to move and change”.
“They haven’t done it yet. So it is only so long that you can simply keep your shipments,” said Hutt, while describing cost fluctuations in oceanic money rates.
“We have seen changes in prices. There have been so many variables that have changed,” she said. “It is impossible for me to know what will happen.”
Contact the Tamaryn Waters economic development journalist at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @tamarynwaters on X.