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Industry Opinion
Surviving Today’s Tariffs Climate
By Dave Gardner, Editor of The Needle’s Eye
I must admit that before participating in the May 2025 Atlanta Texprocess Americas and Techtextil North America editions, I was concerned about what the mood of exhibitors and attendees would be. What would I see and hear? How do they perceive the current state of our industry and its near- and long-term outlooks?
Our textile-sewn products industry is currently facing a challenging operating backdrop, marked by supply chain disruptions reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic – but this time, with the added complexities of elevated import tariffs, increased shipping costs, delivery delays, labor shortages, inflation, and ongoing military conflicts.
What I found among both exhibitors and attendees alike was a pleasant sense of relief in many ways. Today’s operating climate is forcing distributors and dealers to place advance orders and stockpile equipment and parts while trying to get ahead of oscillating tariff rates. They want final decisions made – not ones that are subject to change. Most exhibitors I spoke with were mostly pleased with the level of traffic and the quality of meaningful conversations.
The fragile trade truce between the United States and China has, for now, been pulled back from the brink.
US President Donald Trump finally got his long-anticipated phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which the two agreed to resume trade talks that had stalled over accusations from each side that the other had reneged on previous promises.
A 90-minute conversation on Thursday, June 5, brought a reprieve from an escalating feud. Still, it offered no clear path toward resolving deep-rooted divisions – especially over crucial supply chains that both sides consider vital to national security.
Overall, our industry is not facing a disaster. While the operating climate is challenging, the industry has learned valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. If we can survive the “COVID Climate,” we can survive the “Tariffs Climate.”
Just My Point of View.
