Down Prices Will Be Affected by China Tariffs This Coming October
Down and feather prices are expected to rise in the coming month of October. A Section 301 investigation determined that China’s policies and practices related to technology and innovation are unreasonable and discriminatory. Due to this result there will be a new tariff to be applied to certain products imported from China and will be enforced starting in October. Down and feathers was later added to the products list.
Ronco Industries will do it's best to keep prices steady at least until the end of the year and will continue to keep you updated.
In August 2017, a Section 301 investigation was launched because of concerns over China’s policies, later in March 2018, the president “signed a Memorandum on Actions by the United States Related to the Section 301 Investigation” (fas.org). Most of the down and feathers imported to the US come from China. The ducks and geese which down and feathers are gathered from have been raised for food, not their feathers. For that reason, “down and feathers come from countries where ducks and geese are a dietary staple — the largest of which is China” (ADFC). Due to the tariff the following products will be affected:
- Throw pillows
- Custom Seat Cushions
- Comforters
- Envelopes
- Bolster Neck Rolls
- Bulk Down Filler
What this means for both businesses and consumers is that the price of all these products are expected to rise in the coming month. Businesses will be taxed for “feathers of a kind used for stuffing, and down” (strtrade.com) and consumers will be charged to make up for the extra tax.
At Ronco Industries, we have been able to stock up on enough down, feather, and polyester filler before the tariff will go into effect. This means that we will be able to hold our prices steady and we will continue to hold them steady for as long as we can.