China’s garment makers cut out of US market as tariffs bite: ‘caught off guard’
US apparel imports from China have plunged dramatically since April – and fashion companies plan further reductions
Zhang, a yoga apparel exporter based in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan, has suffered a series of painful setbacks since the US-China trade war intensified earlier this year.
“This latest round of US tariffs hit harder than previous ones – it really caught us off guard,” said Zhang, who declined to give her full name for privacy reasons.
“But just as we were gaining ground and on track to double our profits, Trump’s tariffs came in and shut the door,” Zhang said.
The moves have hit Zhang’s business hard. Her regular US clients have put their orders on hold for the past two months, as they “watch how the policy unfolds”, she said.