Clothing is on the list as one of the industries that will be hit hard by the tariffs that went into effect this week. Here’s how local businesses are preparing and adjusting for the price hikes.
Clothing is on the list as one of the industries that could see significant price hikes amid the newly imposed tariffs.
Tariffs on imported goods went into effect on Wednesday.
Prices in clothing and shoes may see an increase of 16.9%, according to the Yale Budget Lab.
At TeTa Active Apparel in Wolcott, a shop that specializes in embroidery and print work, Cial Cook, the sales account manager, said they’re already seeing an increase in price of the materials they use such as thread going up by 4%.
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“Now a T-shirt that used to be $10.00 to make is now $15 or $20 to make,” Cook said.
Cook said they will inevitably have to pass some of the costs down to their customers although she has tried to look for cheaper vendors within the U.S.
"If we can lessen that extra burden that we unfortunately have to pass on to the customers then everyone's happy that way but it's really hard finding anything that's made in America,” Cook said.
In light of the tariffs imparting newly imported goods, Brandy Mikush, the store owner of Once Upon a Child in Waterbury, said she hopes the tariffs on new clothing will bring more business to her store.
“If clothing prices go up, we’re hoping it will be a positive thing for here, people can still find discounted clothing at the same prices that they would have last year,” Mikush said.
Once Upon a Child sells gently used children’s clothing, or in some cases new items at a significant discount.
Expecting mother Jeanette Pelton said stores like Once Upon a Child serve as a blessing with the price of clothing already being expensive.
“Now with my second baby, I’m leaning more 100% to places like this because it's just too expensive in the store, you can’t buy everything you need,” Pelton said.
