What's the Tariff on T-Shirt (Cotton)?
Cotton t-shirts from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam.
Current Tariff Rate
47.7%
Pre-2025 Rate
16.5%
Rate Increase
+31.200000000000003pp
Price Impact
+48%
+$7.18
Real-World Price Impact
Before Tariffs
$15
Basic cotton tee
After Tariffs
$22.18
Basic cotton tee
That's $7.18 more per unit — a 48% price increase paid by the American buyer.
Note: Price estimates assume full tariff pass-through to consumers. Actual retail prices may vary — manufacturers may absorb some costs, shift production, or adjust margins.
The Story Behind This Tariff
The cotton t-shirt tariff story reveals the paradox of American apparel: the US grows more cotton than almost any country but manufactures virtually no clothing. A 47.7% combined tariff on Chinese t-shirts stacks the existing 16.5% MFN duty with IEEPA surcharges. Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China produce the vast majority of America's t-shirts, with wholesale costs as low as $1.50 per unit. The tariff hits hardest at the value end — a $15 basic tee becoming $22 transforms the economics of fast fashion. Walmart, Target, and Amazon private-label basics face immediate repricing. Bangladesh's garment sector, which employs 4 million workers (mostly women), is particularly vulnerable. Vietnam has absorbed significant production shifting from China since 2018, but the 10% baseline tariff applies there too. The few remaining US textile operations (mainly in the Carolinas) cannot scale to replace imports that number in the billions of units. Screen-printed and branded tees face the same tariff, squeezing the $25B US branded t-shirt market.
📦 Supply Chain
Primary Origin
Bangladesh
Made in USA
3%
Import Volume
$4.8B
Alternatives
Vietnam, Honduras, Haiti (limited)
📅 Tariff Timeline
2005
Multi-Fiber Arrangement expires — cheap imports surge
16.5% MFN2018
Section 301 adds duties on Chinese garments
41.5%2025
IEEPA stacks on existing MFN duties
47.7%👥 Consumer Impact
Households Affected
125M
Annual Cost Per Household
$65
💡 Did You Know?
- •The US grows 15% of the world's cotton but manufactures less than 3% of the t-shirts Americans wear
- •Bangladesh's garment industry employs 4 million workers at $95/month — the tariff threatens livelihoods in one of the world's poorest nations
- •Americans buy an average of 68 garments per year, with t-shirts the single most purchased clothing item
Tariff Details
- HTS Code
- 6109.10
- Current Rate
- 47.7%
- Pre-2025 Rate
- 16.5%
- Tariff Type
- IEEPA + MFN
Legal Authority
IEEPA + Existing MFN Duties
Effective: April 2025
IEEPA tariff stacked on top of pre-existing most-favored-nation duties
The tariff on T-Shirt (Cotton) is paid by the American importer at the port of entry and passed through to consumers as higher retail prices. The foreign manufacturer does not pay the tariff.
Who Actually Pays This Tariff?
Despite claims that tariffs are paid by foreign countries, the 47.7% tariff on T-Shirt (Cotton) is paid by American importers — US companies that purchase these goods from abroad. The cost is then passed to American consumers through higher retail prices.
- ✓ The foreign seller receives the same price as before
- ✓ The US importer pays 47.7% of the customs value to CBP
- ✓ The retailer marks up the higher landed cost
- ✓ You pay more at the register: $15 → $22.18
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