NORTH CAROLINA — President Donald Trump announced Monday new tariffs on imported furniture, saying they will help North Carolina’s industry. Local manufacturers in Catawba County told Channel 9 the move could make them more competitive against cheaper imports.
In a post on Truth Social, the president said the Tar Heel State has lost its furniture business to China and other countries.
He just announced a 50% tariff on imported kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities. Upholstered furniture will carry a 30% tariff.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said furniture prices are already up 5% over last year.
Channel 9’s Dave Faherty spoke with people at companies in Catawba County on Tuesday about how it could impact business.
The Federal Reserve said that over a 10-year period from 1999 to 2009, North Carolina lost more than half of its furniture manufacturing jobs.
However, Faherty found companies in North Carolina that are finding ways to compete with the lower cost furniture imported from Asia.
Carolina Custom Leather in Conover employs more than 60 workers who build chairs, couches and other items. Todd Stroud is the president and said the focus of the family-run business is on higher-end furniture.
“A lot of people like, ‘Made in America,’” Stroud said. “If they can buy ‘Made in America,’ and you can give them a reason to buy ‘Made in America,’ because our quality here is pretty much the best in the world.”
A few miles away, Ben Ebeling’s company, Good Frames, builds hardwood frames for other furniture manufacturers across the U.S., including California.
“All of our stuff is locally sourced,” Ebeling said. “Appalachian hardwoods. Maple, red oak, poplar.”
Both men are aware of Trump’s recent proposal to substantially increase tariffs on any country that does not make their furniture here.
“It think it will allow us to kind of pick up a little bit and I’m hoping it makes it a more competitive market for us to beat out that cheaper, less quality imported furniture,” Ebeling said.
“It evens the playing field,” Stroud said. “We strive hard to keep all of our people employed here.”
The two owners believe the biggest impact will be on large retail stores that sell furniture from overseas where prices could rise. Faherty asked about bringing jobs back.
“I think the tariffs will allow us to be more competitive and allow some of furniture business to come back to North Carolina,” Ebeling said.
“I’ll put the American worker up against any worker in the world,” Stroud said.
Faherty checked with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, which said there are still 35,000 people working in the industry.
WATCH: ‘A wave is coming’: NC farmer says tariffs, inflation hitting some harder than others
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
