A group of textile products that have been exempt from U.S. Section 301 tariffs since 2018—many of which are key components in basic bedding—will lose their exclusion status on May 31, 2025, unless new measures are taken. These exclusions were extended once in 2024 but are now expected to expire permanently, according to legal experts.
The exclusions currently cover products imported from China, such as:
- Feathers and down
- Pillow shells made of cotton filled with goose or duck down
- Protective cotton pillow encasements
- Certain silk and long pile knit fabrics
- Small lotion dispensers (under 3kg)
“These exclusions were granted under specific circumstances and their expiration was already postponed once. It is extremely unlikely that they will be extended again,” said Robert Leo, legal counsel for the Home Fashion Products Association (HFPA) and a partner at Meeks, Sheppard, Leo & Pillsbury, a firm specializing in trade and customs law.
With the expiration of these exclusions, the impacted products will now be subject to:
- Their regular base import duty
- The Section 301 China tariffs (ranging from 7.5% to 25%)
- A new 30% tariff, recently announced by the Trump administration, which is temporarily halting the implementation of a 145% tariff
This change is expected to significantly increase costs for U.S. importers and manufacturers relying on Chinese textile components for products such as bedding and home goods.
Over the weekend, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated that countries affected by these new tariffs have a 90-day window to secure trade agreements with the U.S. before the “reciprocal” tariff rates—set at record levels—resume.
The expiration signals a significant shift in U.S.-China trade dynamics and could ripple through the home textiles supply chain, prompting many companies to reassess sourcing strategies and prepare for higher input costs.
