Hundreds of US firms, including leading footwear brands, sent a letter to the US Government recently opposing new tariffs on $200 billion in consumer goods.

Raising concerns that the proposed tariffs would disproportionately hurt US consumers, workers and companies, more than 50 firms of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) signed the letter. 

The footwear brands include Ariat, Allen Edmonds, Nike, DSW, Clarks, Fila and Wolverine Worldwide, according to an FDRA press release. 

According to FDRA president and CEO Matt Priest, even though footwear is not on the third list proposed by the US Administration, many other consumer goods and production machinery are at risk, driving up prices for all American consumers, which hurts footwear companies’ ability to sell more shoes. 

Footwear companies made clear in the letter that new hidden taxes that touch every single American consumer is “simply the wrong approach,” Priest said in a statement. 

“We cannot simply shift our supply chains outside of China without massive disruption and cost increases due to materials availability, quality, compliance, and capacity in other countries. Moreover, because China accounts for such a large percentage of imports for consumption or further manufacturing, any additional tariffs would likely translate into added costs and price increases in the United States,” he added.